Saudi Arabia, between Repression and Transformation | DW Documentary

Jan 1, 2026 | Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS, is the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia. For almost a decade, he has been radically transforming the country — at a breathtaking pace. Where is the modernizer and despot steering the kingdom?

Saudi Arabia is the world's leading exporter of crude oil. But Crown Prince MBS wants to prepare the country for the post-oil era. Two-thirds of the country's population is under 30 years old, and the crown prince is taking radical measures to turn the previously strictly conservative society on its head.

The documentary shows how contradictory Mohammed bin Salman's ambitions for his "Vision 2030" are, as it takes a look behind the scenes of the transformation.

On the one hand, there is the "Neom" project, which aims to create a futuristic new megacity in the desert. Tourism is to be expanded, major music and sporting events are to be brought to the country, and an extravagant lifestyle is being promoted.

At the same time, an authoritarian style of government continues to prevail, dissidents are sometimes brutally suppressed, and women's rights are still not fully granted - even if the influence of the ultra-conservative religious leaders of Wahhabism is no longer as strong as it once was.

Mohammad bin Salman: Prince with Two Faces

Feb 7, 2025 | Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman (known as MBS), at only 34 years old, leads a state in Western Asia with immense oil reserves that significantly impact the global economy. This country is also home to Islam's holiest sites and remains the world's largest arms buyer. Accused of orchestrating the brutal assassination of a journalist and the kidnapping of a foreign Prime Minister, engaged in a bloody war in Yemen, and determined to counter Iran at all costs, MBS is also a key partner in the fight against terrorism and is implementing spectacular reforms that are reshaping his kingdom.

Democracy Now! Sarah Leah Whitson on Israel, Gaza & Trump-MBS Meeting

Nov 26, 2025 | Since the U.S.-brokered ceasefire went into effect, Israel has killed more than 342 civilians, including 67 children. To talk about all of this and Trump's controversial Oval Office meeting with Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman we are joined by Sarah Leah Whitson, the executive director of DAWN, an organization working to reform U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. She is co-author of the new book, "From Apartheid to Democracy: A Blueprint for Peace in Israel-Palestine"

Saudi Arabia Backs Elon Musk’s xAI With Data Center Deal

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Mr. Musk’s xAI will work with the Saudi artificial intelligence company Humain on a new data center, part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s effort to diversify his kingdom’s economy.

Elon Musk has been hunting for partners to grow his artificial intelligence start-up xAI as it tries to keep pace with OpenAI, Anthropic and Google.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia has been trying to diversify his oil-rich kingdom’s economy by making it a global hub for tech and artificial intelligence.

On Wednesday, their intersecting interests led to a deal.

Mr. Musk’s xAI, which makes the Grok chatbot, agreed to work with the state-backed Saudi company Humain to build a new data center in the Persian Gulf kingdom. The project is set to consume as much as 500 megawatts of electricity, which would make it xAI’s biggest data center outside the United States. Humain and xAI did not disclose the value of the deal.

The project was part of a package of military and tech deals announced on Wednesday during Prince Mohammed’s visit to Washington. The United States and Saudi Arabia appear to have reached an agreement that clears the path for the kingdom to buy the U.S. semiconductors needed to power artificial intelligence, as the United States has used A.I. chips as part of geopolitical diplomacy. » | Adam Satariano and Paul Mozur | Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Saudi Crown Prince Says Deal with Israel Is Closer ‘Every Day’

Sep 21, 2023 | Saudi Arabia is getting closer “every day” to a landmark deal normalizing diplomatic relations with Israel, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said. Yousef Gamal El-Din reports on Bloomberg Television.

Gravitas: Saudi Arabia Wants to Join BRICS

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has claimed that Saudi Arabia wants to join BRICS. He says Crown Prince MBS showed interest in joining the bloc during his recent meeting with him. Is Riyadh trying to disassociate itself from the West? Molly Gambhir reports.

Will a Saudi Aramco IPO Ever Happen? | Inside Story

Saudi Arabia has reportedly delayed its plans to list shares of its state-owned oil company Aramco on the stock market.

Media reports say the initial public offering has been postponed indefinitely. But the Saudi government has disputed this. Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih says the government is committed to conducting the IPO, at the 'appropriate circumstances and time'.

The plan to float around five percent of the oil company was expected to be the world's largest stock sale; and it lies at the heart of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman's vision to transform the economy.

So, where does this leave Saudi Arabia's efforts to raise money and diversify its economy?

Presenter: Richelle Carey | Guests: Mahjoub Zweiri - Professor in Contemporary History of the Middle East at Qatar University; Mohammed Cherkaoui - Professor of Conflict Resolution at George Mason University; James Dorsey - Senior Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University

Bob Diamond on Saudi Economy, Investment Opportunities

Oct.25 -- Atlas Merchant Capital CEO Bob Diamond discusses where he sees investment opportunities with Yousef Gamal El-Din at the Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on "Bloomberg Daybreak: Americas."

WIKI: Bob Diamond »