Gulf Officials Hail Saudi Crown Prince’s Interview

Interview of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (SPA)
Interview of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (SPA)
TT

Gulf Officials Hail Saudi Crown Prince’s Interview

Interview of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (SPA)
Interview of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (SPA)

Gulf countries and officials praised Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's 90-minute TV interview, aired on Tuesday, which addressed several political and economic aspects.

In his interview, marking the fifth anniversary of Vision 2030, he indicated how the Kingdom managed to achieve “all the numbers that we thought were huge and unachievable."

"We did manage to break a part of them in 2020 and we shall break even more numbers in 2025 which means that we shall achieve even higher numbers in 2030,” he noted.

The interview also addressed a number of local, regional, and international issues, including the relations with the US and Iran. It further discussed the Public Investment Fund (PIF), which will raise its goal for 2030 from $1.06 trillion to $2.6 trillion, after it achieved significant growth over the past years.

The Crown Prince said PIF is spending "more than the capital is spending for the state budget, meaning that the Public Investment Fund motivates the economy of Saudi more than the budget."

Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa praised the remarks made by the Saudi Crown Prince, saying they “bear great significance and meanings of moderation, determination, and accomplishment.”

He said that the Saudi Crown Prince emphasized the important and prominent role of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz in protecting the security and stability of the Middle East region.

According to the Bahrain News Agency (BNA), Prince Salman Al Khalifa, who is also the Prime Minister, expressed deep appreciation for the honest and clear interview Prince Mohammed delivered to the world.

The Bahraini Crown Prince said that Prince Mohammed gave a transparent brief on the future political and economic trends of the Kingdom in light of Vision 2030, and his assertion that Saudi Arabia will remain a reliable partner in energy supplies and protection of international trade.

He affirmed that Manama continues to move forward in consolidating its historical relations with Riyadh at all levels.

Bahrain will continue to develop paths of solid cooperation through the Saudi-Bahraini Coordination Council with its ambitious vision to enhance coordination of economic policies and joint projects for the good of the two kingdoms.

For his part, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said that the televised interview of the Crown Prince has set out a promising vision for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, inspired by its rich history.

“The leadership continues to steer its country and people towards a bright future,” Sheikh Mohammed tweeted.

In Kuwait, the Foreign Ministry praised the interview of Prince Mohammed which addressed the importance of states' commitment to the principles of the UN Charter, especially in respecting state sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs.

The Ministry affirmed in a statement that the Vision reflected by the Saudi Crown Prince regarding regional issues reflects the Kingdom's role and its keenness to consolidate regional and international bonds of security and stability.



Saudi Arabia’s Nazaha Arrests Corruption Suspects Linked to Hajj 2024

Nazaha urged the public to report any financial or administrative corruption through its official channels to protect public funds (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Nazaha urged the public to report any financial or administrative corruption through its official channels to protect public funds (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT

Saudi Arabia’s Nazaha Arrests Corruption Suspects Linked to Hajj 2024

Nazaha urged the public to report any financial or administrative corruption through its official channels to protect public funds (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Nazaha urged the public to report any financial or administrative corruption through its official channels to protect public funds (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia’s Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) has detained 155 individuals, including citizens and residents, following investigations into 382 suspects in various corruption cases, some linked to the Hajj season.

The Nazaha said in a statement on its X account on Monday that its officials carried out a total of 924 inspection raids during the last month of June.

The Nazaha initiated a number of criminal and administrative cases following the oversight rounds in June, which resulted in the investigation of cases against 382 officials accused of various corruption charges.

These officials are from the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Transport and Logistics, and Ministry of Culture, in addition to the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority.

Out of the 155 detained, some were released on bail. They face charges of bribery, abuse of power, forgery, and money laundering. Nazaha is finalizing legal procedures to refer these cases to court.

The authority urged the public to report any financial or administrative corruption through its official channels to protect public funds.

This year’s Hajj season saw a rise in fraudulent campaigns, with 160 compared to 83 last year. These fake campaigns led to the deaths of 1,079 unregistered pilgrims due to heat exhaustion while walking long distances without proper transportation and accommodations.

Authorities deported over 256,000 visitors with non-Hajj visas and sent back 250,400 non-residents from Makkah.

Despite continuous warnings from Saudi authorities about the importance of legal Hajj pilgrimages and adhering to medical advice to cope with high temperatures and heat stress, Health Minister Fahd Al-Jalajel said authorities managed a significant number of affected individuals, some of whom are still receiving care.