June 21 marked one year of Mohammed bin Salman as crown prince of Saudi Arabia. Since assuming the role, the crown prince, fondly known as MBS, has been working for the socioeconomic transformation of the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia has witnessed several unprecedented developments in the past year.

6月21日是穆罕默德·本·萨勒曼(Mohammed bin Salman)成为沙特阿拉伯王储的一周年。自被立储以来，被亲切地称为MBS的王储一直致力于沙特的社会经济转型。过去一年，沙特阿拉伯经历了多方面前所未有的发展。

MBS is the architect of a wide-ranging plan for social and economic reforms known as Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the economy of the Kingdom and reduce its dependence on oil income. The Kingdom has witnessed the continuation of the successful implementation of the crown prince’s Vision 2030, which covers all aspects of life. Saudi Vision 2030 was inspiring the country’s youth and introducing structural changes to the Saudi economy and society.

MBS是沙特社会和经济改革大范围计划《沙特愿景2030》的设计师。该计划旨在使沙特经济多元化，减少对石油收入的依赖。过去一年，沙特见证了其王储《沙特愿景2030》在生活的所有方面的实施。《沙特愿景2030》鼓舞了该国的年轻人，并给沙特经济和社会带来了结构性变革。

$500 Billion NEOM City

Vision 2030 seeks to boost the Saudi non-oil based economy, and the large developments at the Red Sea coast. NEOM, the futuristic mega city, is a significant part of the great vision. Neom will operate as a separate "special zone". It will remain under the sovereignty of the Saudi King, but will enact a new set of judicial and regulatory laws aimed primarily at attracting as much global investment, talent and business as possible. Investors will be invited to draft regulations and legislation, and indeed social expectations will be more liberal and global than Saudi Arabia has been in recent years. Promotional materials show women in the city will not have to wear headscarves.

“愿景2030”旨在提振沙特非石油经济，以及红海沿岸的大型开发项目。NEOM，这个未来主义的超级城市，是这个伟大愿景的重要组成部分。Neom将作为独立的“特区”运作。它将一直处于沙特国王的主权之下，但将会制定一套全新的司法和监管法律，其主要目的是吸引尽可能多的全球投资、人才和业务。投资者将被邀请参与起草条例和立法，事实上社会方面的预期将比沙特阿拉伯近年来更加自由和全球化。宣传材料显示了这个城市中的女性将无需佩戴头巾。

Clean energy is a priority here; Saudi Arabia plans to build a number of solar and wind power plants. Large energy storage solutions and some desalination projects are also being considered. The new city will strive to design regulatory frameworks that will attract high-tech companies, particularly in biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, robotics, renewable energy and future transport solutions. In addition, Saudi Arabia will launch the King Salman Bridge project to connect Asia with Africa. Total investment in Neom city is expected to exceed $500 billion.

清洁能源是这里优先考虑的事项; 沙特计划打造大量太阳能和风力发电厂。大型储能解决方案以及某种淡化海水淡化项目也被考虑在内。新城市将努力设计监管框架，吸引高科技企业，特别是在生物技术，先进制造业，机器人，可再生能源和未来运输解决方案等领域。此外，沙特将推出萨尔曼国王大桥项目，以连接亚洲与非洲。预计，Neom新城的投资总额将超过5000亿美元。

Arab Fashion Week

Before this year, few can imagined the Islamic kingdom would host a fashion week in its capital Riyadh. On April 10, 2018, Ritz Carlton hotel, Saudi Arabia's first ever Arab Fashion Week opens and joins designers from Europe and the Arab world over the course of four days. While the Riyadh’s women-only shows aren’t open to cameras, models, designers and delegates have been sharing a few moments from their down time. Saudi Princess Noura Bint Faisal Al-Saud, honorary president of the Riyadh branch of Arab Fashion Week, said fashion has always been important in the kingdom. A fashion industry is taking shape in the MENA region that could create jobs for up to 20 million women, the Arab Fashion Council anticipated.

在今年之前，很少有人能想象这个伊斯兰王国会在其首都利雅得举办一个时装周。2018年4月10日，沙特阿拉伯历史上第一个时装周在丽嘉酒店拉开帷幕，来自欧洲和阿拉伯世界的设计师参与了这个为期四天的时尚盛会。虽然利雅得的时装表演仅限女性观众参加，并不对摄像机开放，但模特儿、设计师和代表们分享了她们休息时间的片刻。阿拉伯时装周利雅得分会名誉主席沙特公主诺拉•本特费萨尔•沙特说，时尚在王国一直很重要。阿拉伯时装协会预计，中东和北非地区的时装业正在形成，可为2000万女性创造就业机会。

Reopening Of Cinemas

A week after the fashion show, the Kingdom’s cinema reopened to the general public after 35 years. Saudi Arabia began issuing licenses again in March 2018 to operate cinemas in the Kingdom ahead of their reopening after a 35-year-long ban was lifted. On April 18, the blockbuster "Black Panther" produced by Walt Disney Co. was released in Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia. And Saudi films entered in the Cannes Film Festival for the first time in May. In addition, women are allowed to attend concerts, enter stadiums and go to cinemas with their male companies.

时装秀一周后，这个王国的电影院时隔35年重新向公众开放。在解除长达35年的禁令后， 沙特阿拉伯于2018年3月开始再次发放运营电影院的执照，允许开办电影院。4月18日，华特-迪士尼公司(Walt Disney Co.)出品的全球卖座大片《黑豹》(Black Panther)在沙特首都利雅得上映。5月份沙特电影首次参加戛纳电影节。另外，女性被允许与她们的男伴们一起去听音乐会、进入体育馆和去看电影。

$200 billion Entertainment Zone

On April 28, Saudi laid foundation stone of a $200 billion entertainment project called “Qiddiya”. Qiddiya is expected to be the world’s largest entertainment city by 2030, with a total area of 334 square kilometers, surpassing Walt Disney World in Florida, which is 110 sq km. Most featured activities include: car racing all year long, a large safari, outdoor water adventures, virtual reality games and six flags theme park.

4月28日，沙特为投资总额达到2000亿美元的Qddiya娱乐项目埋下奠基石。预计到2030年，Qiddiya将成为世界最大的娱乐城，总面积达334平方公里，超过佛罗里达州110平方公里的沃尔特迪斯尼乐园。Qiddiya的特色活动包括：全年无休的赛车，大型野生动物园，户外水上冒险，虚拟现实游戏和六个主题公园。

Allowing Female Drivers

Another major development is the lifting of a ban on women driving. From June 24, women in Saudi Arabia will be able to take the wheel. Automobile agents across the kingdom have started displaying attractive car models in their showrooms to woo women customers. Besides, saleswomen have started filling car showrooms to facilitate the decision-making process for potential female buyers. Sellers expect six to ten percent increase in car sales with women starting to drive in the Kingdom, which is the largest automobile market in the Middle East.

另外一项重大发展是解除对女性驾驶汽车的禁令。从6月24日起，女性在沙特阿拉伯将可以驾驶汽车。沙特全国的汽车代理商已经开始在他们的展厅展示迷人的汽车模型以吸引女性顾客。此外，女售货员已经开始在汽车展厅就位，以促进潜在女性买家的下单决策。在女性被允许开车的情况下，汽车代理商预计沙特，这个中东地区最大的汽车市场，汽车销量将增加6％到10％。

Work Force

The crown prince’s Vision 2030 reform plan seeks to elevate women to nearly one-third of the workforce, up from the current 22 percent. Besides, on May 29, the Saudi government approved a measure on criminalizing sexual harassment in the Kingdom. The first legislation of its kind aims at combating the crime of harassment, preventing it, applying punishment against perpetrators and protecting the victims in order to safeguard the individual’s privacy, dignity and personal freedom. In addition, The Ministry of Labor and Social Development will implement an occupational safety and health (OSH) management system from July 1, in order to develop national regulations and motivate employers to create attractive, safe and healthy work environments.

王储的“愿景2030”改革计划旨在将参与工作的女性占劳动人口的比例从目前的22%提高到近三分之一。此外，5月29日，沙特政府批准了一项将王国内的性骚扰定为刑事犯罪的措施。 这方面的第一部法律旨在打击性骚扰，防止性骚扰，惩罚犯罪者和保护受害者，以保护个人的隐私、尊严和人身自由。劳动和社会发展部将从7月1日起实施职业安全与卫生（OSH）管理体系，以制定国家法规并激励雇主创造有吸引力、安全和健康的工作环境。

Diplomacy

In one year MBS had taken many important initiatives at the national and international level and reinforced Saudi Arabia’s leading role in defending and supporting issues related to the wider Muslim world. The most notable achievement was the creation of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition. The Ministry of Islamic Affairs has received a great deal of support and attention from the crown prince to help fight extremist and deviant ideologies. The crown prince had allocated $66.7 million to fight the cholera epidemic in Yemen, in addition to his efforts to help the needy throughout the world without discrimination.

在一年的时间里，沙特王储在国家和国际层面上采取了许多重要举措，并加强了沙特在捍卫和支持与更广泛的穆斯林世界有关方面的领导作用。最显著的成就是建立了伊斯兰军事反恐联盟。伊斯兰事务部得到了王储的大力支持和关注，以帮助打击极端主义和离经叛道的意识形态。王储已经拨款6670万美元，用于抗击也门的霍乱疫情，此外，他还努力地无歧视性地帮助世界各地的穷人。

The crown prince had worked hard to build a new phase of progress and prosperity for the country with the help of the youth who are the core of the Kingdom’s future. In recent years, the crown prince has become the government’s face of reform, modernization and change. In a country where about 60 percent of the population is under 30, Makkah Investment foresee that the young crown prince will push toward socioeconomic reforms and make a more friendly and profitable investment environment. If you are interested in investment opportunities in Saudi Arabia, please contact us.

沙特王储在被视为沙特未来的核心的年轻人的帮助下为沙特的进步和繁荣谱写新的篇章。近年来，王储已成为政府改革、现代化和变革的代言人。麦加投资预计，在这个约60%人口不到30岁的国家，这位年轻的王储将推动社会经济改革，创造一个更友好、更有利可图的投资环境。如果您对沙特阿拉伯的投资机会感兴趣，请联系我们。