Behind the glitzy facade also lies a dark story of threats, forced evictions and bloodshed
SAUDI Arabia’s egomaniac plan to become the centre of the world seem to be crashing down as it’s been labelled “untethered to reality”.
Touting with technology that is yet to be invented, the Kingdom aims to build the world’s tallest skyscrapers, futuristic cities and even a fake moon.
Through massive investments as part of Saudi Arabia Vision 2030, the nation revealed its 15 wildly ambitious projects funded by oil billions at an unprecedented rate.
In line with the megalomania vision of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi is desperate to be the centre of the world.
But despite spending the whopping £1 trillion to get it all done by the end of the decade, Saudi Arabia might not be ditching its reliance on oil so soon.
Its flagship project, The Line, promised to be a 106-mile long sideways skyscraper and transform Saudi Arabia’s economy but it was now dramatically scaled back.
Analysts have also long voiced doubts about the project, which has often boasted technology that has yet to be created.
A former employee previously described The Line as “untethered to reality”.
A Bloomberg investigation from 2022, which interviewed 25 personnel and reviewed 2,700 pages of internal papers, saw the project be beset by setbacks and delays.
Plagued by setbacks
Citing sources close to the project in its story on Saudi Arabia downscaling The Line, Bloomberg reported that the kingdom has failed to approve NEOM’s budget for 2024, despite the fact that it is already well into April.
NEOM’s massive expenditure is reportedly beginning to worry officials, implying that Saudi Arabia’s tremendous riches may not be as limitless as previously thought.
Several of the projects mentioned in Vision 2030 are also due to be postponed beyond the end-of-decade date.
Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/11063239/saudi-arabias-ego-trip-crashing-down-vision-2030