What impression is MBS making on the global stage?

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince is promoting himself as a social and an economic reformer, reinventing his kingdom for the modern era.

But since his rise to power last year, Mohammed bin Salman, or MBS, has been a controversial figure.

He has put together a range of reforms at home, including easing restrictions on women’s rights, and a more open policy on entertainment and public performances.

And he is behind a major anti-corruption drive targeting the Saudi elite, which critics say also removes domestic rivals. 

The United Nations says the Saudi bombing campaign in Yemen has contributed to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. And MBS has hit out at Iran, comparing the country’s supreme leader to Adolf Hitler.

Now, reports have emerged of a plan to reshape the political map of the Middle East and fracture the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Presenter: Laura Kyle

Guests:

Joe Macaron – Policy Analyst at the Arab Center, Washington DC

Rami Khouri – Senior Public Policy Fellow and Adjunct Professor of Journalism, the American University of Beirut

Sami Hamdi – Editor-in-Chief, International Interest