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Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will land in the U.S. on March 19 as part of a three week, multi-city tour. It’s his first extended foreign travel, which has already taken him to London, since being named Saudi heir apparent in June 2017.
The crown prince is attempting to showcase a new, bold, dynamic face of Saudi Arabia to a world accustomed to dealing with the geriatric, risk-averse leadership of the past. Prince Mohammed is on a mission to sell his Vision 2030 — Saudi Arabia’s ambitious reform plan to diversify the economy away from oil and fundamentally alter the country’s society.
Years of low fuel prices have underscored the urgency within to kingdom to end its dependence on oil — 87 percent of Saudi budget revenues still come from the petroleum sector. The plan, launched in 2016, has so far received a lukewarm response from governments and investors alike from New York and London to Tokyo and Beijing.
Photo: Bandar Algaloud / Saudi Kingdom Council / Handout/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
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