“Saudi society is one that may still remain a mystery to some, but through this series I shed light on successful Saudi women in their homes, with their families. FacesOfSaudi.com is one of the best expressions of what we do: Pulling the veil off the world’s misconceptions of the Kingdom.”
-Rawan Radwan, a Saudi journalist with Arab News and the paper’s regional correspondent discusses the launch of an Arab News website marking International Women’s Day and dedicated to highlighting Saudi women. Fifteen Saudi women are featured in the debut edition including Dr. Yasmin Altwaijri, Basma Alshaalan and Dina Alfaris. [FacesofSaudi]
“What I would say is that transformation and reform isn’t a straight line. I would also say that, yes, while there are those women being held, 11 million women are being positively impacted by all of the regulations. … They weren’t just impacting a woman in the workplace. They were impacting her in her home. They were impacting the day-to-day life of a single woman, a married woman, a divorced woman. … It’s not just about a woman driving – it is to be self autonomous, totally, and to have the right to make the decision and then act on the decision. That is the massive shift in our country.”
-HRH Princess Reema bint Bandar, in an interview for the Wyoming Tribune Eagle during her visit to Wyoming. The ambassador also discussed the potential for business partnerships among other topics. [Wyoming Tribune Eagle]
“The kingdom’s mortgage market is considered one of the lowest when it comes to delinquency — 0.6%…While that rate will increase, Saudis are committed to their loans; they’re very serious when it comes to liability.”
-Majed Al-Hogail, Saudi Housing Minister, in a Bloomberg interview, regarding the Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company — the state-owned equivalent of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in the U.S. [Bloomberg]
“…[T]here is a palpable sense among many young Saudis that their time has arrived. For example, many young Saudi men believe that Saudi Arabia will soon have an improved standard of living coupled with more societal tolerance. The kingdom will continue to open up to the world, its citizens will be able to communicate more effectively, and, in general, Saudis will become more self-reliant.”
-Mark C. Thompson, writing for the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, comments in his article ‘Being Young, Male and Saudi: Identity and Politics in a Globalized Kingdom’ on the perspective of young Saudi men during a time of significant socioeconomic change. [AGSIW]
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia doesn’t just want to be recognized by the World Bank, and the IMF, and the United Nations — though those are glorious recognitions to have — we want to be recognized by the employees of your companies who say ‘I am proud to have a relationship with the Kingdom.’ …My role here [as Ambassador] is to put your minds at ease: do you want me to come talk to your companies and employees? Who do I need to speak to to make your lives as CEOs and business leaders easier? Who needs to understand that the headlines don’t always tell the full story? For every negative headline, there are 20 headlines of positive change happening in the Kingdom.”
-Ambassador Reema bint Bandar Al-Saud, in comments at yesterday’s U.S.-Saudi Business Leaders Forum at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C.
“The annual throughput of King Abdullah Port for bulk and general cargo increased to 2.98 million ton by the end of 2019, compared to 689,000 ton in 2018, registering a 333 percent increase. In addition, 85 cargo ships docked in the port in 2019 compared to 57 ships in 2018.”
-Arab News reports that King Abdullah Port, the region’s first port fully owned, developed and operated by the private sector, flourished in 2019 and is now one of the world’s 100 largest ports after less than four years of operation. [Arab News]
“The most recent data from the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority covers the period to September 2019. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first three quarters of that year amounted to $3.5 billion, slightly up on the $3.2 billion for the equivalent period in 2018, but still very low compared to the fairly recent past. A decade earlier, FDI in the first nine months of 2009 amounted to $26.6 billion.”
Dominic Dudley in Forbes comments on declining FDI as one reason for the establishment of a new Ministry of Investment with for Minister of Energy, Khalid Al-Falih, as it’s head.
[Forbes]
“We as Saudis, tell a story, our story, and as filmmakers or creators don’t need to sugar-coat or create a flowery image of our society. This is us, we don’t create movies for the approval of the West, we make them to express ourselves.”
-Faisal Al- Amer, Saudi filmmaker, in comments to Arab News. [arabnews.com]
“The most recent data from the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority covers the period to September 2019. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first three quarters of that year amounted to $3.5 billion, slightly up on the $3.2 billion for the equivalent period in 2018, but still very low compared to the fairly recent past. A decade earlier, FDI in the first nine months of 2009 amounted to $26.6 billion.”
Dominic Dudley in Forbes discusses foreign direct investment as one impetus to create a stand alone Ministry of Investment and name former Minister of Energy, Khalid Al-Falih, as its new head.
[Forbes]
“My great-grandfather was the last military leader in the world to win his battles from the saddle. And my grandfather, who was in his twenties, rode alongside him.”
-Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal, chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, referencing Ibn Saud who founded Saudi Arabia in 1932 in his comments regarding Saudi Arabians’ love for horses and horse racing. The Saudi Cup slate of races featuring an international field and a total of $29 million in purse money and will be run at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh on Saturday, February 29, 2020. [US Racing]
