Reuters says it is $US10 billion for a planned mega-city, committing more than 1,000 (?) square kilometers in the south Sinai,….Riyadh’s part of the new joint investment fund will be cash to help develop the Egyptian side of NEOM, which Prince Mohammed unveiled last October as part of plans to wean the world’s top crude exporter off oil revenues.” https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saud ... SKBN1GG0QD
Regional press has it at 14 or 16 but that’s Arab maths, others have a joint investment fund but I think that’s the above in a different form because this Crown Prince trusts few with his money and probably not Egyptians. He doesn’t even trust his cousins. Smart boy.
I guess it will link in with the existing Sharm airport – but my understanding is that the whole development is a lot more than low rent tourism and extends way down the Saudi side of the Red Sea. I’ve read elsewhere that Egypt must make a capital contribution.
The 40k Bridge to link the two countries will allegedly cost only $US4 (don't believe that) billion but only if Egyptian firms get none of the work – then it will be 8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi%E2% ... t_Causeway
Here it is:
It will be interesting to follow whether any state owned Egyptian firms or the Egyptian Army get any contracts to build their dreadful default designs. One assumes that the bridge should go to an international firm that specializes in long bridges – we will see.
The bridge and the total development on the Saudi and Egyptian sides were agreed ages ago so this ‘deal’ is nothing new – indeed the visit has nothing new for the public – except its connection to the election. Maybe not. The UK visit would have been penciled 6 months ago whereas the Cairo visit only appeared in the newspapers less than a week ago. The US leg must also have been made a long time ago. Another event of importance is that a day or so before he left for Cairo he fired all the leaders of his Army, Navy and Airforce (having fired the head of the internal militia about 8 months ago). He gave no reason for the firings and it seemed very rushed given he left the country about a day later. https://edition.cnn.com/2018/02/27/midd ... index.html
The leaked German Security Service assessment of him said he was impulsive.
My guess is that his UK visit is the big one to secure investment, political support from a country that has an army that is awake and can shoot straight (Yemen is a mess and the Iranians are on the march) and particularly on a cut price deal on the float of 5% of Aramco. I think Cairo was added in and this is supported by the fact that there is nothing new to announce. My god he’s driving to the Canal to see the new (leaking) extension that was completed by the army (that have no skills or experience in this area) 2 years ago. Maybe he should ask to look at the Canal books and marvel that the extra billions invested have actually reduced revenue. Now that is a way to run a business – more capital lower profit.
Al Ahram has Saudi talking about joint activities against terrorism. Given that Saudi has no terrorism does that mean the Saudi Army and Airforce will take over on terrorism in Egypt. Now that is good news – the others could go back to their farms, factories, supermarkets and gas stations. http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent ... g-eff.aspx
Interestingly the Saudi press mention that the Crown Prince will visit St Mark’s Cathedrial and visit the Coptic Pope in his residence. Why didn’t al Ahram mention those? Very odd but I’m sure intentional. http://www.arabnews.com/node/1258986/saudi-arabia
An aside. The Crown Prince has approved women in the Saudi Army. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 31096.html
The Centre of World Civilization doesn’t allow women in any part of the armed forces, the police, the security services, the tourist police, the judiciary (probably), and major state owned enterprise, most or all governates, most or all of the heads of government departments, most or all senior diplomatic postings, all universities, all major hospitals, all or most museums, all of most city mayor positions, all office holders in the Parliament and the headship of all Parliamentary committees (?) etc.
I’m sure the above is neither here nor there for an average woman in Luxor but if you were not an average woman you would take a look at all these road blocks and go and buy a one way ticket. A similar view could be adopted by a Copt – most positions of power, and almost everything in the uniformed area, are closed and have deliberately been for generations.
