January 14, 2006
THE OPENING OF THE ARAB MIND:
Saudi king opens up $1 trillion of business to the West (Jenny Davey, 1/14/06, Times of London)
SAUDI ARABIA has embarked on an unprecedented drive to open up to $1,400 billion (£795 billion) of its industries to foreign investment as it strives to scale back dependence on oil exports.The Kingdom, which is committed to lowering investment barriers as it enters the World Trade Organisation, has launched a $624 billion investment programme and has accelerated an $800 billion privatisation plan. [...]
The privatisation programme, one of the world’s biggest, gives overseas companies the chance to invest in petrochemical, water and power projects through public-private partnership deals. The opportunities include new power plants, roads, railways, desalination plants, petrochemical plants, gas and oil procurement, telecommunications equipment, mining and capital markets investment.
A good time for Zawahari to join bin Laden in Hell, since nothing worked out the way they dreamed. Posted by Orrin Judd at January 14, 2006 12:01 AM
if american company's get the big slice of that pie, it signals that SA is ready to make ammends. if the PRC get's the big slice, then look for a little surprise in the saudi oil fields, and a breakaway by the shite community there.
Posted by: toe at January 14, 2006 8:41 PMAny such non-oil investment is doomed, due to the oppressive regime of the Saudi Entity. It would be good for us if the PRC wasted what little spare cash they have on it.
Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at January 15, 2006 6:04 PM