Instead of working on renaissance projects to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s economy and raise the living standards of citizens, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman started spending and wasting the Kingdom’s money on promoting fictitious projects, while turning a blind eye to its negative impact on the economy or the fact that these projects are not profitable, nor meet the needs of the youths whose first priority is finding job opportunities.
Years ago, Mohammed bin Salman launched Vision 2030 and made the NEOM city project at the top of its projects. The project’s cost of $500 billion is based on establishing an illusionary entertainment city. The funding was based on the Kingdom Sovereign Fund after investors withdrew from working in the NEOM project due to the lack of its economic vision, and its uselessness in reality.
In addition to its extremely high cost, NEOM is facing the forced displacement process that bin Salman carried out against the residents of the project’s land, who are called the Kingdom’s Bedouins, and they are from the Al-Huwaiti tribe, where their number is approximately 20.000 people.
This displacement practiced by Bin Salman has caused a rift in the structures of society, due to the violations practiced against these people and their right to life and owndership of the lands and homes. MBS’s security forces killed one of them and arrested dozens of them, including women, which is prohibited in the Kingdom since its establishment.
“The Line” a new illusion announced by the Crown Prince in February 2021, is a decision that compels major international companies to move and establish headquarters within the Kingdom, otherwise their products and investments will be withdrawn from the Saudi market by 2024.
Economics and investment specialists considered the decision contrary to international investment standards, a source of fear among investors inside the Kingdom as well as those who aspire to enter its markets, and the sudden change in policy with arbitrary legal provisions, which means that companies must consider the risks of moving there, not to ignore the deteriorating economic situation of the Kingdom and the false reform promises of bin Salman during the past years.
The “Green Saudi Initiative” and the “Green Middle East” are two initiatives recently announced by bin Salman, aiming to plant 50 billion trees, which is the largest project of its kind in history. As
MBS said that he plans to plant 10 billion trees in the Kingdom, and 40 billion trees in different Arab countries.
Activists in Arab countries described this decision as a fanatic one, as Riyadh has become is suffering a serious financial crisis and spending on such project is impossible.
“A Journey Through Time”, a project in Al-Ula region that aims to responsibly and sustainably revitalize the main archaeological area in the Al-Ula governorate, in a unique cultural and natural environment, to transform it into a leading global destination for arts, heritage, culture, and nature, to achieve the goals of Vision 2030.
Nevertheless, reality proves that this is another illusion promised by MBS to cover his previous failed promises and illusionary projects and his failure in managing the Kingdom and its economy.
