Saudi Crown Prince interview with Fox News

this is the island of sindala the first project in neom Your Vision 2030. it is spectacular it is really beautiful you know a lot of people have described you as a Visionary leader I talked to a number of your citizens and that's how they describe you and you didn't even plant them that's really how they talk about you and world leaders are saying the same thing you've had this transformational change every aspect of the Kingdom economic social cultural religious can you give us some specific examples of what your goals are and how you think all of this is going well simply uh we have in the past few issues in Saudi Arabia and a lot of opportunities that we didn't use we're trying to capture that and to go forward for better Saudi Arabia and that's what we're trying to do and it's a big vision it is a big vision and we we get like surprised every day that we reach our Target faster and we extend that to a newer Target and a bigger ambition so it's really exciting your ministers say you work them hard well you can see in 2022 we are the fastest G20 country growing and also in this year if you take just an audio GDB part uh we are the second fastest in the G20 growing so it's like a fight between Saudi Arabia and India good fight you're making a transition uh on trying to get different parts of the economy not a heavy Reliance on oil the role of women in the society has evolved significantly you know you had this 2030 what do you see 10 20 30 years for Saudi Arabia I'll give you example if you look to the to late 70s Saudi Arabia GDP is bigger than South Korea and now South Korea it's I think it's the 10th of 11th largest GDP in the world in 2016 and 2016 we are number 20. so that's a shame in in 1980 1980 we we was GDP number I think 12 globally and then in 2016 we are number 20. so we believe if Saudi Arabia and really the perfect track since that time we will be among the top 7 GDP globally I'm trying to get Saudi Arabia back on the right track you're a data guy we can see today today we are the largest uh 17 number 17 ranked as a largest GDP in the world but in G20 we are almost ranked number 15 from 20 in just few years the G20 you just mentioned it you really have become a big player on the world stage and that G20 Rail and ports deal connecting Europe the gulf nations in India why is that such a big deal Logistics important if you want to manufacture in your country if you want to move Goods it's it's important to have a good logistic plan you work it with many countries many regions to be sure that Goods pass in the right time we for example that project will cut the time of goods from India to Europe by three to six days cut time save money and it's more safer more efficient so why not and it's not about only moving goods and Railways and Port it's also about leaking grids energy grids data cables and other stuff would benefit Europe Middle East and also India and most of these energies all of these are going to be a green energy that's going to be produced the Middle East and and being exported to Europe and India so it's a big deal for us and for Europe and for India also mentioned in this deal is Israel what would it take for you to agree to normalize relations with Israel well there is approach from prison by the administration to get to that point for us the policing issue is very important we need to solve that part and we have a good negotiations continue till now we gotta see where it will go we hope that it will reach a place that it will ease the life of the Palestinians and get Israel as a player Middle Middle East there were reports that you had suspended talks no no that's that's not true not true so you think if you were to characterize it are you close every day we get closer it seems it's for the first time uh real one serious we're gonna see how it goes can you make a deal with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is that somebody you can deal with well in Saudi Arabia policy we don't interfere with who is running each country who's there we work with him now we don't have a relation with Israel but if python Administration succeeded to make I believe the biggest historical deal since the end of the Cold War then we're going to start a relationship and that relationship going to be continuous regardless of who's running Israel so I mean he's 73 you're 38 but you think maybe there's a chance you could deal with them we have a breakthrough of reaching a deal that gives the Palestinians their needs and make the region come we're going to walk with whoever's there not to go too far but the concessions Israel would have to give the Palestinians what would that look like that's part of the negotiation yeah I got to describe things because I I want I want to see really a good life for the Palestinians so I want just to continue the negotiation with them by the administration to be sure well on the U.S side would there be a defense pact maybe between the Saudi Arabia and the United States and what would that would it look like Article 5 in NATO yeah first of all we we have some sort of that in the past 80 years we're the biggest buyer from uh American manufacturing I believe Saudi Arabia launched bigger than the next five buyers from America so so economically and we have a lot of security military Ties That release strengthen the position of Saudi Arabia the Middle East and strengthening the position of America globally especially in Middle East you don't want that to be shifted you don't want to see Saudi Arabia Shifting the Armament from America to other place so that document it will strengthen that it will strengthen the interests of America security interest military interest and also economical interests and also it will save effort and headache from the Saudi side of not switching to other places you know there are many people who Wonder why you first normalized relations with Iran a longtime enemy who back in 2017 attacked your oil facilities but yet not yet Israel can you you explain that based in situation and politics so we have a long fight with Iran since 79 uh we don't we don't want to be that the norm in the Middle East if there is opportunity to shift that and to go to prosperity and interest and working with Iran and working with Adam bringing Iran to work with the Arab world with the Middle East why not so they didn't reach to the Iraqis in 2020 the Iraqis talked to us they start to they start to do that kind of negotiation we have few obstacles trying to come in solve it and then we have a good start we hope that continues we're trying our best and also what we see from the Iranians that they're taking this very seriously and they're doing their best so we're investing in that that's a big change and clearly you can see outside the box on these on these deals you know you can look to that are you concerned though Iran gets a nuclear weapon about them getting a nuclear weapon well we are concerned of any country getting a nuclear weapon that's a bad uh that's about the move you don't need to get a nuclear weapon because you cannot use it even if you don't get a nuclear weapon any country using European that means they are having a war with the rest of the world the world cannot see another Hiroshima if the world see 100 000 people dead that mean you are in a war with the rest of the world so it's a useless effort to reach a nuclear weapon because you cannot use it if you use it you gotta have a big fight with the rest of the world if they get one will you if they get one we have to get one for security reason for balancing power in the Middle East but we don't want to see that yeah it's just a big change you know a lot of the world experts are saying how you can isolate Iran and try to prevent them from doing what they have been doing and then just the image of your Saudi team football team going to Tehran to play is just striking right well that's good that's part of the movement and we see very warm welcome from the rain inside to the Saudi team I believe sadistic that very positively Iran has been fighting this proxy war in Yemen against you just today there were these high level talks over the past five days with the Hootie Rebels uh inside the kingdom and the quote from your people is that it was positive Secretary of State blinken said that this is a time of opportunity do you think it is yeah definitely I will aim from day one is to have good life for the Lebanese good life for the whole countries in the region for us in Saudi Arabia to progress to do really great progress and great growth and creating amazing economy in Saudi Arabia and have close to 100 percent of succeeding of what we're trying to get that mean we need stable region to have a stable region you need economical development in the whole region you don't need to see your problems in Yemen it's Iraq going really forward you'd see Iran going really forward going forward you'll see the rest of the reading going forward and we are working with GCC with Egypt with other players in the region and also with the global players with our allies in America to make that happen that's good for the rest of the world because you see when the region is Disturbed ISIS come out okay they come out tourist attack come out piracy come out so so we don't want to see these events you want to see opportunities for American companies for European companies for the rest of the world and for more growth uh from in a place that create problems in the past few decades I mean obviously more than 150 000 people died in Yemen it's been a big humanitarian crisis but you all put in billions of dollars to help in that and it doesn't get covered a lot do you think it's close to kind of wrapping up well we are the biggest country in the world who give aids to Yemen in the past and today and tomorrow and we want to increase that and also we want to start to invest in Yemen in economical in the economical path in all sides of Yemen and we are in the process of doing that even if there is a ceasefire there's no political agreement yet but we are trying to push all the areas forward day by day there's a couple more things on Iran do you think it was a good idea for the U.S to allow Iran to access that six billion dollars in exchange for the five American hostages you know you can kind of say it's a better good policy but what I would say that it's a step I hope that the Iranians show that getting that six million get and getting those American backs at worth effort because that would encourage the world to do more you mentioned China brokering that normalization with Iran that surprising folks well I choose China in that role we didn't choose China China chose you China chose uh to be a broker to make that happen there are signs of change um obviously the renewal of relations with Iran brokered by China possibly joining brick China is a big component of that is the kingdom reevaluating its security Partnerships kind of trying to think of different ways to do it no no brexit is not about political uh alignments so if you look at the G20 you have like two groups inside the G20 you have the G7 and you have bricks inside D20 we try to join the G7 at president Trump time but some of the countries in G7 uh have like a requirement to be part of that and we are seeing that if if we continue for one decade without being part of group inside the G20 that could really create obstacles for us economically so bricks is option they invite us and we welcome that and Brooks is not a group against America of the West you have a lot of allies and Bricks you have India you have Brazil and you have South Africa those also as your allies you talk to all these world leaders I mean you talk to all of them and when was the last time you talked to president XI something around Nana should you talk to two four months yeah we talk a lot severe yeah how do you see him what's he like well he's trying to uh do the best for China and you have all the life to do with that he's a leader of a country and he wants his country to succeed and to grow and you have more than one billion people you don't need to see China failing if you see China failing it's around 13 14 of the world GDB and it's around uh 15 to 20 percent of the world population that country Falls every one of the planet Falls even America the Royal Highness this is cindala right on the water this has to be exciting to see stuff happening yeah this is one of a lot of islands that we're developing in the Red Sea so now around 22 Island under construction that's one of them and more going to be announced so it's a shame that you have the best Corals in the planet and there at sea still doing very well because you can't stand the Heat and it's not available for tourists to enjoy it yeah so next year it's gonna be open almost five Islands from the 2200 development but in total and let's see we have 1 150 Island the aim is to develop 50 of that I guarantee you the world does not know you have all these places only that snow mountain it's very close from here we are hosting the Aegean Winter Games in Quincy line in Saudi yeah that's that's something got to change it's not about just dizzled you have forest in it you have valleys Oasis Tropical Islands Mountain Islands Sandy Islands corals and you have snow yeah so what do you do to blow off steam when you want to relax like what do you have fun doing games oh what's that video you're a big gamer since I'm good I love it really yeah disconnect me from uh reality so and there's a big video game part of your ministry right there's a out of sports uh Esports is one of the most important things happening globally it's the most one of the most growing Industries in the planet it grow by 30 percent every year so the return of pif investment every year we have 15 to 25 percent of profit so it's really amazing and we don't want to miss that yeah when you see it's like beating Hollywood today so so one of the three million Esports you have more than two billion views more than the biggest Hollywood movie It's amazing so it's serious and you to blow off steam to do something you you get on a video game get on it with my kids on my friend and just disconnect for a few hours and if you're outside what are you a hiker hiker or diver uh enjoying nature that's the most thing you do outside golfer this is a Robert Trent Jones Junior Golf Course well there's lots of small things like golf paddle soccer basketball whatever but the main thing is hiking and Diving so the handicap is it uh plus 36. that's what handicaps are four yeah what are you looking forward to coming up I mean every day is something big for you listening to your ministers what do you looking to the next thing so today we are trying to close a few things that we are able to close it uh the first half of 2024 and then we're gonna shift to implementation and starting preparation for vision 2040. and announcing region 2014 2027 2028 so that's the main thing that we are focusing in and do you think that the perception of Saudi is changing do you sense that well I hope that's happening but for us in Saudi Arabia we don't look at that for us in Saudi Arabia when we do change we look to our needs to our people needs and to our economy needs if it changed perspection positively great yeah we really appreciate the time shoe crumb and we look forward to seeing where Saudi Arabia is by 2030 and Beyond thank you thank you sir thank you yeah

Channel: Al Arabiya English

Views: 2,856,389

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Id: w0NxI44yBDM

Length: 18min 17sec (1097 seconds)

Published: Thu Sep 21 2023