In her article on US news website Bloomberg, writer Donna Abu Al-Nasr said that the “year of prestige” of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is collapsing in front of him, because he was supposed to boast the fruits of modernization in 2020, and instead deals now with the costs of the Corona virus and the oil shock.
The author pointed out that the Kingdom's rapid response to Corona won the praise of many Saudis, however the economic impact of the epidemic came at a time of great importance for the country.
She added: It was assumed that 2020 will be the year of bin Salman, as the plan was to show the kingdom some of the fruits of its project for major modernization such as new industries and entertainment programs that showed that Saudi society has become more open and could prosper one day without oil.
But a mixture of Bin Salman’s actions and other catastrophic events of the world - as the author says - now raises some questions that the crown prince can hardly find answers, of some kind if his economic dream is still possible in his current form.
The writer believes that despite all his efforts to crush opponents inside and silence his critics abroad, the role of Bin Salman - in escalating the oil war with Russia - showed an acceleration in his decisions, including the failed siege of neighboring Qatar and the disastrous military campaign in Yemen. "Let alone the effects of Corona, which was not foreseen One. "
She added: There was also the murder in 2018 of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, by Saudi agents.
She said that the tranquility experienced by the cities of Makkah and Madinah is the most prominent example of the challenges facing a prince who wagered on his leadership in bringing economic prosperity to a country with two-thirds of its population under the age of 35.
In fact, as the article points out, the major transformation plan was already stalled before the epidemic spread around the world and the collapse of oil prices.
The writer quotes Ayham Kamel, head of the Middle East and North Africa division of Eurasia Consulting Group, saying: "Although it was difficult before, it is now impossible to meet all elements of Bin Salman's vision ... This level of pressure requires rethinking the grand plan instead of secondary details." Here and there".
Kamel adds that the matter leaves the crown prince compelled to "difficult choices regarding what he wants to diversify, huge projects and investments in assets abroad and at home." He goes on to say that the short-term impact will be mostly economic felt, but the political cost will accumulate in the long run.
The author concluded her article that the Saudi prince worked hard to ensure that he did not face an organized challenge to his authority, and if he did not fulfill his promises, he would be "a weak king suffering from many internal social and political problems alongside external threats."