Saudi Arabia steps into the Davos limelight

Saudi Arabia steps into the Davos limelight

The gloomy global elite strolling the Promenade in Davos this week could cheer themselves up by stopping off for free ice cream courtesy of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Or they could drop into the Saudi café for coffee, pumpkin jereesh and a rose mamoul crumble. Then visit Prince Mohammed’s Misk Foundation “Youth majlis” pavilion.

With Russian oligarchs banned, the Saudisstepped into the limelight.

Despite a dire human rights record, the Gulf country wants the world to focus on its economic story: the world’s top oilexporter is one of the few bright spots in an otherwise shaky global economy wracked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and surging inflation.

Saudi Arabia was the focus of global condemnation after the 2018 brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and was shunned by many western leaders. MBS, as the crown prince is known, was implicated in the killing, according to US intelligence agencies. He has denied his involvement.

But four years on, Saudi officials are displaying a new confidence. The kingdom and its fellow Gulf energy producers are reaping huge rewards from the turmoil sweeping energy markets, whetting the appetite of bankers and financiers eager to counteract a slowdown in US and European markets.

“This is the most