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The text of the television interview of the Deputy Crown Prince: Prince Mohammed bin Salman:
The Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Crown Prince, the Second Deputy of the Prime Minister, and the Chairman of the Council for Economic Affairs and Development, has held a television interview on Saudi Arabia's first channel for the most important local and regional issues, and he stated the followings:
* The national transformation program was designed to improve the performance of government agencies?
- That’s true, and for this reason there are indicators and targets have entered in 24 government agencies, the second batch will be launched in the near future or the coming weeks, and there are new entities, that were not included in the 24 parties in the national transformation program, will be added to it.
* Now it is been a year since the establishment of 2030 vision, How do your Highness see its impact on the growth, the unemployment and non-oil income?
- I think that it has achieved so many achievements. If we look at 50 thousand feet, we will find that the deficit rate is less than all analysts’ anticipation, both at home and abroad for 2015 and 2016. And also for the budget of 2017 we will find non-oil revenues almost doubled in these years, "the last two years from nearly 111 billion to nearly 200 billion Saudi riyals. We will also look at the fact that budget control has become much more accurate than a budget in the last year, which spends more than 25 % to 45 % to a budget where only less than 10 % is spent. All of which are more than 50,000 feet. In addition to that, the main economic indexes have been affected by eighties, the nineties, and 2009 fall in oil prices such as the unemployment index which increased in those sharp declines, while the inflation index rose very significantly. The investment index also fell very strongly, while in this crisis the oil prices fell very sharply in an unprecedented manner in the history of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and in a very rapid pace until it reached 27 dollars in a short period, and continued at this abysmal level for a year and more than a year. But, thanks to God, thanks to the guidance of his majesty the king, and the work of government agencies and officials and government employees who were able to maintain a lot of indexes without being affected negatively. Unemployment was maintained at its level and was not strongly affected negatively. Inflation was also not strongly affected negativly as the historical cases we have seen in the past. The investment index was not affected strongly and the growth index continued to rise on the GDB. It is true that it is below the global average but we have not entered a stage of contraction in the Saudi economy. Now the effects of these programs that will be launched will start to appear in late 2017. We will find their very strong impact starting from 2018 and 2019 on all these key economic indexes.
* Your Highness, Prince, with regard to the issue of unemployment from the beginning of this year and with the recession that the local market suffered, there was a layoff for people from their jobs, what is the plan for that?
- As everyone knows, that any reform process and any screening process of the country will be accompanied by side effects. It is very normal with the oil drop to $ 27 and its continuation for a long time less than $ 40 have a lot of symptoms affecting the state spending. These ten programs are all in the different areas of spending between investment and spending from the private sector, which is a major incentive for jobs in the coming years. As everyone knows, the aim of Vision 2030 is to reach a 7% unemployment rate in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. With no doubt, these programs will make us into a better number than we are today in 2020.


* What is the reason for the suspension of allowances, and why they were returned?
- If we note, in the decision to stop allowances that it was temporary, and that in the same resolution there is a text that states that the decisions are reviewed periodically. And they were reviewed appropriately after the improvement of our oil revenues. This is a factor, and as you know in the program "financial balance" we had three scenarios for Oil which are:  the pessimistic scenario $ 45, the average scenario or a baseline of $ 50, and the optimistic scenario of $ 55. This is not the Kingdom's assessment for oil, but this is to arrange our securities with different oil prices. In the first quarter, we were close to the optimistic scenario which is $ 55, sometimes we go beyond it and sometimes we are less than, this is a positive element. The other positive element is that our non-oil revenues in the first quarter of 2017 have achieved more than we anticipate to achieve. This is another positive element, so the decision is no longer has to continue in this manner. So that, it was reviewed as stated in the resolution itself, while we exaggerate that this is a very great success for the competent authorities in the financial and the economic and investment sides as they were able to take us from this stage in less than 8 months. The work of a very great effort has been done in the oil agreement with the OPEC countries and non-OPEC countries is an agreement for the first time in history. We have always known in the past that the agreements were held between the OPEC countries only, and this is the first time in the history that the agreement held between the OPEC countries and countries outside OPEC. That made our position is very positive in terms of the governmental revenues of the oil. Also, the procedures taken in these non-oil revenues have greatly helped in addition to the investments and restructuring of many of the sectors under the Public Investment Fund have contributed to bringing in these revenues which have strengthened our position and contributed to a decision like this.
* The amounts of allowances, were they so impressive that they stopped?
- When we notice the price of oil is $ 27 and continue for months under $ 40, we do not know what is the obvious scenario for the next three or four years, and we do not know if our effort in the oil agreement will succeed or will not work. Also, do not know if our programs in our non-oil revenues will succeed or not, we also do not know if that our investments will come to fruition in a short period of time or we cannot make a profit to help the government budget in a short period. So that, we can take “the risk” at the expense of the national economy. These procedures have been done in the past, in the eighties and in 1997. But the difference between this period and the past periods is that we took a period of few months to went back to the normal position while in previous cases in our history and the history of other countries take years to return to normal course.
* I mean the size of the amounts Was it affect the support?
- without doubt. If you want to close all the taps that you have, you must take all measures until make sure that your affairs are in a good position, and then re-open it as appropriate.
* How do you respond to some Western press, which said that this decision came under popular pressure, and this is considered a decline?
- That is incorrect words, the deficit fell in the first quarter to 44%, this in itself proves the truth of our words that the deficit falls below what we expect, so why continue the austerity measures.
* What are the most important steps that achieved compensation in the budget deficit?
       1- Oil revenues are the most important factor, and the main reason for the oil agreement.
       2- There are some procedures that have been implemented in the non-oil revenues in the last two years.
       3- Revenues of the Public Investment Fund. And for the first time the Public Investment Fund enters the treasury of the state tens of billions annually which is 2015, 2016, and 2017 God willing and in an increasing manner.
  These are the three most important factors that made the deficit fall to 44%.
* What if the price of oil falls below $ 30?
- We expect the second, third, and fourth quarters will not be below the 44% expectation because we are back and spending again.
* What if oil returned and fell below $ 30, would we return to austerity and tighten the belt?
- Without a doubt, if we go through a critical stage we will return to the austerity measures, but what we are working on today and the initiatives that exist today will make us stronger in the receipt of shocks. And if our initiatives succeeded, we will need oil prices less than fifty dollars. This will make us receiving very strong shocks without the action of tighten the belt.
* After the return of the allowances. People began to look at the citizen account that it will not be completed?
- The unified account of the citizen is to compensate the citizen for any rise in the prices of energy, water or the like so that the citizen of the middle income and less does not affected, and the impact is on the rich foreigner or citizen. Today we want to redirect the support to be materially directed to the citizen. Middle-income or low-income earners decide to spend the amount they have spent in the past on the same expenditure (energy, water, gasoline, or other goods), or reduce their consumption, and spend that amount in another thing.
* About 12 million citizens have registered their information. Have you started benefiting from that?
- Now, we believe that those who deserve support are less than ten million, or nearly ten million, and the competent authorities are working to determine the final form.
* Do the ten million include the poor and the average?
- Of course, we are trying to be as generous as possible, and trying to include the largest possible categories, even if they are above the average. So that it has a strong impact on the Saudi citizen, but to date the details has not finished yet, and the competent authorities are working on it, and is supposed to be finished in the coming months.
* How will you deal with future unemployment, is there a number you have?
- If you notice in the 10 programs that have been launched, that it is required from each program when it is announced in the next six months to measure its impact on the main indicators of the economy, including the unemployment index. In the next six months, we will see the impact of each program that is launched on the unemployment, how would this program will provide number of jobs, and how many percent will affect unemployment. We expect that the impact of these programs will be very strong to reduce the unemployment rate, and I can only give you the real impact at the time of the announcement of each program.


* How much do your highness expect the anticipated increase in the public debt in 2017/2018?
- Public debt as announced in the fiscal balance program will not exceed 30%, we target the public debt on the GDB 30% and so far, we have not reached 30%. There are some expectations that even in 2020 we will be less than 30%. A public debt of 30% does not mean a problem, some of the countries in the world have GDB in some of them up to 50%, some up to 60% and some up to 200%, including G20 countries. If we look at the big countries, the five major economies have more than 30% public debt. So that, it is healthy for the Saudi economy to involve a percent of public debt, which means that we have opportunities for development programs on which we spend money. We have two options: to spend and continue to develop, to create jobs, to create opportunities, to create private sector opportunities, or to stop spending. Our public debt is very low, giving us a comparative advantage that we can rise to international rates and continue to spend.
* How do you see the future of the Public Investment Fund over the next three years? Would it be an internal or internal and external investment?
- The Public Investment Fund is one of the most important pillars of Vision 2030. We have several opportunities to develop the size of the Public Investment Fund:
       1- Unutilized assets. Too many assets have been entered, some of which may have been reviewed or announced to the public investment fund. These will be reflected in the size of the fund, the size of the value of the fund, and the profits of the fund.
       2- We have heard that some of the reserves that are not of the state's funds need to be transferred to the public investment fund, about 100 billion riyals several months ago. Also, there is a restructuring of the public investment fund companies so that their performance, growth and profits are better than the previous. All of these will maximize the size of the Public Investment Fund, on top of this the offer of Saudi Aramco.
* His Highness the prince, What about Aramco?
- As we state, the most important offer in the Public Investment Fund is the ARAMCO offer. This will provide huge sums to the Public Investment Fund and also it will help in targeting many sectors inside and outside Saudi Arabia. One of the most important sectors to be targeted by the Fund within Saudi Arabia, is the mining sector. According to the survey of the 1970s, which was re-examined last year, I think there are mining opportunities of (Trillion and three hundred billion US dollars). The value of minerals in Saudi Arabia, of which gold is more than 240 billion US dollars and that requires a very huge investment. It is always difficult for foreign and domestic investors to take risks in a new sector such as mining. Consequently, the investment should be through the Public Investment Fund. The company of Aramco contribution with part of the money (cash) in the fund will provide the Fund with the ability to invest in this new sector, which has now only utilized less than 3%, and we have another very important goal which is the local content target. Today's volume of Saudi Arabia purchases outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on goods, commodities, activities or so on, amounting to US $ 230 billion. According to the vision of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2030, half of this spending will be within the Kingdom, and when we talk about what are the most important local content items ($ 230 billion), the most important item is Military manufacturing, which ranges from $ 50 to $ 70 billion a year, sometimes increases, sometimes less. We are the third largest country in the world to spend 99% of the military armament outside the Kingdom. This is a huge opportunity to create large industries within the Kingdom, also to create jobs and create development. However, what distinguish this matter is that the decision is 100% totally owned by the government. The government today has made a decision requiring that any industry should be linked to local content (i.e. I will not buy from you unless you tell me how much you give me local content). There are types of industries, low-sensitive technology industries and in this case other countries do not have the embarrassment of being transferred to you 100% inside Saudi Arabia, such as light weapons or ammunitions or what can be included under it or spare parts or structures, etc. And there are a medium-sensitive technology industries, some countries have a certain sensitivity, we try to get out of the deal a certain percentage for the local content, and sometimes we manage to reach 70% of the local content, sometimes 50%, and sometimes 20%. There are also complex industries that countries refuse to transfer technology to Saudi Arabia. Here, we stipulate that the main materials are through Saudi Arabia, which has an indirect impact on the local content inside Saudi Arabia, but the condition in the competent authorities in Saudi Arabia today is that no weapon deal without local content targeting 100 % of industry transfer. If we do not succeed we must end up in 2030 with 50% local content. This means that from 50% ($ 70 billion) will be spent inside Saudi Arabia in 2030 and will gradually increase. His Highness has pointed out that today there is a range of armament deals will be announced in the coming period. In each deal, we will know how much the local content is, and how many job opportunities will be provided by it. Arming is the largest item in the local content. The second item is the automotive industry, where car purchases by the Saudis are almost $ 30 billion a year, sometimes higher than and sometimes less than. The positive element is that $ 13 billion of these purchases are purchases for the Saudi government and we can start with the first stage is to provide the needs of the Saudi government through Saudi manufacturing companies that the Saudi government is contributing to. This will bring us 40% to 43% in 2030 in the automotive industry.
* Will there be a localization of the automotive industry?
- We will not try to offer goods to the citizen in the next ten years as cars, it will be very difficult to compete in prices and also to convince him of the quality required, but we can ensure that these deals for the government in exchange for creating this industry within Saudi Arabia, and the third most important item of the local content is entertainment and tourism (22 billion dollars a year out of Saudi Arabia on entertainment and tourism) This is the most difficult item because its decision in full to the Saudi citizen and there is no part of the purchases with the Saudi government, it is very difficult that you invest in an investment convince the Saudi citizen that instead of spending this money outside Saudi Arabia to spend it inside Saudi Arabia. Also target 50% in 2030. Under the local content, there are too many items, this (230 billion US dollars) of which we are targeting US $ 115 billion to be spent annually in Saudi Arabia and increasing gradually after 2030. Hence, until reaching 2030, these are all challenges and profitability in it are not as expected or as required and the risk is very high, no one will invest in it except the Public Investment Fund so that this sector succeeds and then privatize and sell in the stock market then Companies are listed in the stock market and the fund starts to recover its expenses and enters into another chance. This is the second sector targeted by the Public Investment Fund after mining. The third sector targeted by the Public Investment Fund is the logistics sector. We have three very large logistics opportunities and we operate very strongly. The most important opportunity is the Red Sea. 13% of the world trade passes through the Red Sea and Saudi Arabia provides nothing at this field (zero services), and here are huge opportunities to work along the Red Sea for many exports and imports of countries. We began today to work with many countries since the recent time headed by China and now we work with them on a huge initiative in the Industrial city of Jizan and there are other countries come successively.
* Does this will include the development of ports?
- That is true. developing seaports or participate in the industrial cities on the Red Sea. Another opportunity we're working on is a Saudi and Gulf states exports to Europe, 40% of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states exports to Europe. Especially, the Gulf countries pass from the Arabian Gulf to the Strait of Hormuz to the Arabian Sea to Bab El Mandeb to the Red Sea to the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean Sea and this period takes the cost and security risk, while we can provide them passage through Saudi Arabia directly to the bridge of the King Salman, who announced it last year to North Sinai, which reduces the time and cost. Where security guarantees are much higher than those in which they pass.
* Are you involved in the King Salman Bridge project?
- Without a doubt, this will create a lot of industries and businesses inside Saudi Arabia from connecting roads, connecting power grids, linking gas and oil pipelines, and connecting railways to North Sinai. The third opportunity we aim at in Logistics is aviation, today our brothers in the United Arab Emirates and in Qatar have done a very good job of flying in the Middle East, while they do not have a strong domestic market to rely on to take over and control the Middle East markets. Saudi Arabia has the largest domestic market as an airline market. Saudi Airlines companies should have a much larger stake in the Middle East Airlines today, this is also the third aspect we seek.
* What are the reasons for the absence of the Saudi aviation, is the weakness of the airports is the reason?
- The absence of strategy, there is no strategy and no vision. The tendency was a random move until we reached the stage we reached today, while if you set a goal and plans to reach this goal there will be an achievement of these results up to 100% or 50% or 30%. Briefly, the fund will be the main driver of the major sectors within Saudi Arabia. The fund will have a very large cash flow from Aramco and this will be directed in no less than 50% and up to 70% in new sectors within Saudi Arabia (mining, local content, logistics). After covering opportunities within Saudi Arabia, the remaining 50% and 30% will be directed to outside Saudi Arabia to the promising sectors that are possible to be in the forefront ten years from today, and. Details for all of this will be announced in the launch of the program of the Public Investment Fund in accurate and detailed manner.
* When the project was announced cash; people reacted that they wanted the habitation, what the opinion of Your Highness?
- We have so many fronts we are working on them, and we cannot then stop a certain entity that achieved an achievement because there is a delay in the other side. It will disrupt the work of the whole government, it is imposed on all sides to support, stimulate and reach an achievement, and the one that is delayed is to be investigated about the delay and its reasons and how we work on it. This is a side, the other side that spend on the public investment fund is not the state. It is one of the fund's unexploited assets. In the past, it was giving us a profit of 1%, and at the best case 2.5%, and there are bonds and funds outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Today, we transfer these amounts to Saudi Arabia and we invest in sectors that give a profit of better than 2.5% or 1%, develop key sectors and contribute to the local content on the entertainment side. Ultimately, this will create profits for the Fund, the Fund will turn it to the state treasury that will make the state position more powerful so that it covers more expenses of “housing and other expenses” that the state need. In addition to creating job opportunities that contribute to solving many of the problems of Saudi citizens, as well as they contribute to the development of the private sector.
* Among the programs that were presented last Sunday the housing program and there was a reference to three solutions. What is the vision of Your Highness through the program to the issue of housing?
- We are optimistic and we expect the situation for us is more positive than we thought, there will be hundreds of thousands of free units in the housing program, there will also be more than one million units in soft loans for Saudi citizens. The first will be without payment for hundreds of thousands of units and there is no specific number, and the accurate number will be announced at the time of the launching of the housing program, but there will undoubtedly be more than one million units sold by the facilitator or loan from the Real Estate Development Fund, the Real Estate Development Fund will contribute to lending and also the easy sale, the Public Investment Fund will also contribute to the housing sector.
* Will the fund return to its previous role in pumping money?
- The Real Estate Development Fund is undoubtedly one of the main drivers of the development of the housing sector. We have three types of housing. The first one is the free one, hundreds of thousands, I cannot give you the final number. The second one is the housing supported by the real estate development fund. Third one is the housing from the main investor which is the government and it sells easily and at a discounted price to the Saudi citizen. This is a very long-term loan whose profit to the fund is only 3%, while the citizen can own his unit on the second day and he can pay for many years without affecting his main income. Not to mention, the free units as large as possible to citizens who cannot cover the costs of housing programs.
* When Your Highness is expected to start the project launch?
- Imposed within 6 months, I do not expect it to be one of the first programs to be launched because it is very complex and has very high spending, I expect it will be launched in the third quarter of 2017.
* Your Highness the Prince, there is a fear haunt some economic writers about Aramco and that it is the property of the state and that it should not be offered for subscription opinion. What is your opinion?
- I think that this thought tends to be communist socialist thought that everything must be owned by the state even the bakery must be the property of the state. Fundamentally, there was an intention to put Aramco on the market, and that had been stated in the main documents in which Aramco was established under the reign of King Abdul Aziz - may God have mercy on him – at that time. Today, you have a very valuable company and you can keep this company in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, keep its impacts in Saudi Arabia, and make it grow in Saudi Arabia, while benefiting from its value by stimulating other sectors that are not in Saudi Arabia. This will help us capture many opportunities like we spoke at the beginning of the interview. If you did not put Aramco on the market means that we will continue 50 years or 40 years to develop the mining sector, it will take 40 years for us to develop local content, and it will take years to develop logistics services, such as what we lost 40 years ago while we were trying to develop these sectors. When we offer part of Aramco's shares and take this cash and create new and strong sectors in Saudi Arabia, we will develop the economy, create jobs, improve government and fund revenues and other benefits, and at the same time Aramco still in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
* How much will you sell, what is the percentage?
- There are two main factors to determine the percentage of the offering.
* What will we sell? Is the service, wells, or what?
- We sell the value of the company, while wells are owned by the state, only the company has the right to use these wells, which is in the past and still at the present and has not changed anymore. The size of the quota to be sold is governed by to two factors, one is the demand, is there a demand or not. Second, what do we have on (Pay Plan) as investments in or outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. There was a request, but we need the cash. Because we do not have a sector that invests in Saudi Arabia or absorbs this investment, why do we sell a stake for Aramco, but if there is a request and find a sector that needs this investment, the second day we will sell. This is the two factors that will determine how much we sell from Aramco, but undoubtedly will not be far from 5% too much.


* When will the Aramco project be sold?
- 2018.
* Do you now work on papers and permits?
- That is right.
* If Aramco is sold. Who will determine the ceiling of Aramco's production?
- Determination of the production ceiling would be the prerogative of the Saudi government, increasing the production at the price that suits the company is in favor of the Government of Saudi Arabia. A part of the governmental revenues is from the oil tax (50%) on the oil sold or produced, as well as the taxes it receives from Aramco. The government's interest is to develop the profits of Aramco, meaning that the government will not take a decision that violates its interests and the interests of Aramco in the rate of production.
* Your Highness the prince, the subject of production with the economic vision and mentality in the market, will the production be freed from the political decision?
- Production is not a political decision, production is an economic decision, it was not a political decision at all in the past, production is an economic decision, what is the economic benefit to determine the appropriate production price, this is governed by supply and demand and coordination with OPEC countries and countries outside OPEC to coordinate the amount of supply and demand so that there is no collapse or confusion in oil prices.
* One of the programs that have been launched last Sunday, is the investment program to stimulate 100 companies to turn either to regional or to international companies, what are the companies targeted to raise their level?
- I cannot name companies now, there are companies where part of them is in the stock market and companies outside the stock market. We acquire more than 100 companies that have the opportunity to turn from a local company into a leading regional company. We also acquire companies that have the opportunity to turn from a leading regional company to a leading global company, and we have a group of companies that can achieve this transformation and this huge impact that will be reflected on the Saudi economy. They need easy procedures, facilities and agreements with other countries, facilitate their sales, and facilitate their spread.
* Will the government negotiate on behalf of companies and take care of their interests?
- Undoubtedly, we can touch that all the governments of the world are doing this. The last of which was few days ago when we had the German Chancellor with the managers of the most important companies in Germany, and she was negotiating as if these companies are belonging to the German government, she also was entering in all the details for the success of the work of these companies. The Saudi government should play its role to turn the success of Saudi national companies. This will transform 100 Saudi companies from local leading companies to regional leading companies and from regional leading companies to global leading companies, and also this will provide us with experience in how to turn these companies into large ones so that after 2020 we operate programs targeting a wider range of these companies.
* Does this mean that the state can lend them?
- it may be according to what will be announced in the program.

* Private sector now complains of high operating costs, and believes that this will become harmful to the industry and in trade, what is the opinion of Your Highness regarding the high prices and the shrinking economic situation?
- I do not think this is accurate, but the programs that will come out will stimulate the private sector very strongly. Sales of the private sector will increase very strongly. If you spend hundreds of billions in a short period of time, this will undoubtedly have a very positive effect on the private sector. I would like to give you an example. In the past, we used to rely solely on government capital expenditure. Nowadays, in the coming years, we will have high government capital spending, that is the first thing. The second: there will be spending from the reserves mentioned in the fiscal balance program is 200 billion riyals for private sector development, this spending differs than the capital spending we are all used to. Thirdly: and it is important- it is the spend of the Public Investment Fund. The Public Investment Fund will spend in Saudi Arabia, after Aramco has been sold, more than SR 500 billion in just three years. You can imagine this spending in the military industry, the automotive industry, the entertainment industry, the tourism industry or in other industries. How will it affect all of the private sector, and this will stimulate their sales in very strong manner in all sectors, both in the retail, transport, services sector and so on.
* Will you impose taxes on corporate income?
- No, this has not and will not be mentioned in the program of financial balance. We mentioned that there would be no taxes on wealth or any taxes on income.
* Companies coming to Saudi Arabia, Are there facilities for foreign investment?
- That is true, today, the Ministry of Commerce is working on screening the work of the Investment Authority. We worked different than what was happening in the past of waiting for the demand comes from the companies, but today we pick up the companies that we want to work in Saudi Arabia. There is a very long list of companies that the Investment Authority must seize each year and enter them in the Saudi market.
* Is there anyone who wants to enter but complain about the procedures we have?
- This is true, and they are all easy procedures and contribute very significantly to the work of these companies. For example, remind you the last event in the visit of German Chancellor, the German companies have had a problem that our license in Saudi Arabia only lasts for one year, while their strategies and investments are based on four years. They have been given a change in this aspect so that the license lasts for five years, this are easy procedures that greatly stimulate the work of foreign companies in Saudi Arabia.
* With respect to the health sector, it means the privatization of the health sector, it was published on the lips of the Minister in a symposium that the hospitals will be privatized, and then it was said that it will become some state-owned companies, what is the reality of the privatization of the health sector, and how it will be, and other important sectors?
- The health sector is privatized in all the successful globally countries. If we look at the United States for example, we do not find the US government owns hospitals, each hospital either owned by the private sector or non-profit sector. The role of the government is to guarantees a free treatment for Saudi citizens. Instead of we occupy a hospital and we spend on them and come at a quality that will be rejected by the citizen, we privatize and owned by companies and ensure the policy of insurance for every citizen. And the citizen has the choice of selecting the hospital which he wants to get the treatment in, whether private sector or non-profit sector. This will bring great competition to all private hospitals and provide quality services so that they attract this citizen who has an insurance policy and earn more profits, and it will create a better health sector with better services and much less corruption. Because it became some interests among stakeholders and it will ease the very high load of management for the Saudi government. It will also reduce the costs that the Saudi government spend on the health sector, while these expenses will be spent in other sectors that are in need for these expenses.
* When does this wheel start?
- It is a very complex project, we expect that things will be clearer during the current year.
* What are the other sectors that can be privatized in the near future?
- The municipal services sector, also the transport sector, primarily airports, aviation and ports. Those are the main sectors that we are targeting at this stage.
* In the subject of vision, your Highness has mentioned that there will be an increase in the number of those wishing to perform Umrah and Hajj through the preparation of the two Holy Mosques and its facilitation. But Muslims in Pakistan, for example, or from other countries or Muslims residing here, believe that the fees will affect so that the turnout will be decreased, and instead of having a person four times of Umrah a year, he will perform it one time?
- This is an incorrect propaganda, and we know who is behind it, which is a loathing of Saudi Arabia. It hates the interests of Saudi Arabia in one way or another and tries to seize any opportunity to alienate the Muslim peoples from Saudi Arabia. First, before this decision, there were a fee for Hajj and Umrah of 50 Saudi riyals, even for who come for the first time should pay 50 riyals on the visas of Hajj and Umrah. This decision is not targeting the visas of Hajj and Umrah, but targets all visas of the Saudi government and to unite its price at one price. As awareness from the Saudi Government, in order to serve hajjis and pilgrims, the first Hajj and the first Umrah of any Muslim were paid at the expense of the government. If there is a Muslim wants to make the first pilgrimage, he will not pay the value of the visa, and the Saudi government will pay the visa. Also, if there is a Muslim wants to make the first Umrah, the Saudi government will pay the fees of the visa. But for those who are coming again for the second or third time, he firstly drains the Saudi economy and we served for the free first time. Secondly, he takes the place of a citizen in various Islamic countries wants to come for Hajj and Umrah.
* A minister has been exempted because of overrides and the abuse of power. Is this decision is for a activating the authority of corruption?
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud - may Allah protect him - has made changes from the first day he took the judgment, sensing the importance of the role of the authority if corruption. And also, his dissatisfaction with the role that the Authority of Corruption are playing. If the fight against corruption is not at the head of power that is meaning that you do not have the fight against corruption and you will not succeed no matter how you worked. I assure you that there will never be an exception for anyone who involved in a corruption case, whether a minister, a prince, or whatever. Anyone who convicted by enough evidence against him will be charged.
* Will social media networking contribute to detecting corruption if any?
- We must not take documents on the issue of corruption from social networking sites, where we cannot identify the counterfeit from the non-counterfeited, the real or the not real, and who has a special agenda of those who do not have a special agenda. Any Saudi citizen can be in his hand any documents of corruption or information linked to anyone or else and he believes that there is corruption, he can submit this document to the competent authorities headed by the Anti-Corruption Authority, and he must be confident that the competent authorities are in turn.
* You Highness the Prince, the open war on Houthi in Yemen, will it last?
- No one wants to continue the war.
* What is its future in your opinion?
- No doubt that when the war had there was no option for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it is a must to do it, or the other will be the scenario is much worse. First his coup on the legitimacy by militias, that classified as terrorist militias and we a negative experience with them in 2009. Secondly, these Militias are forming a threat to international navigation, and all Yemen's neighbors. The third, the terrorist activity which began in the other party in southern Yemen are active in a very strong exploitation of the work of these militias, and if we waited a little danger will become more complex and will become dangerous within the territory of Saudi Arabia, within the territory of the countries in the region, and in the major international crossing points. So that, we have had no other choice. I think the Saudi armed forces have achieved very big achievements. When the operations began, the legitimate control was almost zero% on Yemeni territory. Today, the legitimacy controls 80 or 85% of the Yemeni territory, while another alliance was found in northern Saudi Arabia in Iraq and Syria to fight Da'ash, which controls part of Iraq. 60 countries led by the United States from 2014, that was a year ago before us, and until today they did not do anything. But, we are 10 countries in the region and we were able to achieve an achievement in a shorter time than the war in Iraq and Syria, this is an achievement for the Saudi armed forces, Yemeni forces, and alliance forces.
* As long as they continued to control the Yemeni territory, why legitimate authority does not move to Yemen?
- The legitimacy authority always moves between Yemen and Saudi Arabia and it has been in Aden for a long time and always avoid being the president and vice president are both in Yemen in order to mitigate the danger of the liquidation of Yemeni legitimacy, so they make steps in this way.
* There is a talk about a disagreement between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates about “El-Eslah group”, their role in the war, and the future of Yemen. What is the validity of this speech?
- Rumors are too many and certainly enemies want to create as much rumors as possible among allies.
* Why are the areas under the control of al-Houthi, a more secure and stable like Sanaa than the legitimacy areas in Taiz and Aden?
- I want the source of your information, and I am skeptical of this thing completely.
* Some reports say that the alliance intelligence reports are ineffective with evidence that Houthi and Saleh still have weapons stocks?
- We can uproot Houthi and Saleh in just few days, and we can mobilize only the Saudi land forces alone and in a few days, clear all areas and the remaining 15% under the control of Houthi and Ali Abdullah Saleh. But the result will be victims in our forces by the thousands, and we will open condolences in every Saudi city and the second result is the victims of Yemeni civilians in very high and very large losses. And the time is in our side, the long breath is ours. We have the supply, we have all logistical supplies, and our morals are high. While the enemy has no supply, no money, and does not have a long breath. Time is in our favor and we will take advantage of the time that is in our favor for us. If we do not take advantage of the time that is in our favor, we have served the enemy.
* There are proposals from Ali Saleh. cannot this be a way to isolate Houthi?
- Ali Abdullah Saleh has a very big disagreement with Houthi and we know that he is today under the control and the custody of Houthi, if he is not under the control of guardianship of Houthi, his position will be completely different from his position today without a doubt. If Ali Abdullah Saleh left Sanaa to another area his position will be quite different from his position today. Today, he may be forced to many of the positions he mentioned.
* He submitted an initiative when his son came at the beginning of the war, but you refused?
- That is true, that we were trying to make a political initiative that would make us avoid the war and we were opening a discussion line at that time provided that they did not approach Aden, because if they approached Aden, it would be very difficult to discuss a political solution, and Houthi was courting in Yemen. Unfortunately, nothing has happened as we hope and we have been forced into operations.

* Your Highness the Prince, there are forces that are neither belonging to the legitimacy nor the coupists. Why do not the kingdom open lines with these forces?
- All lines are open whether the forces belong to the legitimacy or force belongs to Ali Abdullah Saleh, or those who are not belong to both sides. And every day we are attracting more.

* Are the tribes of the northern Yemen concealed neutrality? You met with the tribes how do you see them today?
- There is no doubt that the enthusiasm was very high among them and all of them are very much hatred of the Houthi group and want to get rid of them as soon as they can devote to Yemen's development programs.

* I refer to the subject of Egypt again. The relationships with Egypt were excellent. Then the Egyptian media began to suggest that the relations were almost broken, what is happening?
- You mean the media of “Muslim brotherhood”. The media criticizing Saudi Arabia or the Saudi-Egyptian relationship is the same criticizing President Sisi. The Saudi-Egyptian relationship has a strong and solid relationship in the deepest roots of the relations between the countries that are not affected in any way. In the history of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, they always stand with each other conditions and at all times. That situation did not change and there is no a situation of negative attitude of the Egyptian government towards Saudi Arabia, and also, there is no a situation of negative attitude of one of the Saudi government to the Egyptian government. Egypt has not been delayed for a moment to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Saudi Arabia will not be delayed for a moment to Egypt. This is a strong conviction between the leaders of the two countries, but also between the people of both countries. Without a doubt, the enemies of Saudi Arabia and Egypt will try to create rumors in one form or another, whether from Iranian propaganda or the media of “Muslim brotherhood” propaganda to cause a rift in the Saudi-Egyptian relationship, and the leadership of the two countries does not pay attention to these polemics and trivialities.

* Your Highness has mentioned the subject of King Salman Bridge between the Kingdom and Egypt. Do Your Highness bet on it?
- That is true, the working relevant teams have started working in the offices, not in front of the media the bridge after the bridge has been approved. The results will be announced when laying the foundation stone with full details, and the time of laying the foundation stone before 2020 without a doubt.

* The islands. Have you finished the subject of islands?
- There were no problems with the islands originally.
* We heard the Egyptian media speaks about the subject that within the corridors of the courts?
- which occurred about a year ago is only a delimitation of the maritime boundaries. The islands are registered with Egypt as a Saudi islands and they are registered with Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as Saudi islands. And are also, registered in the international centers as Saudi islands. Only the demarcation of the maritime borders has been done. Both Egypt and Saudi Arabia has not relinquished any part of their territories. The demarcation of the border came for reasons of economic benefits that could be created after the demarcation of these borders, especially the King Salman Bridge, oil supply, gas supplies, power supply or train and roads that will target the port in North Sinai, and the exports of Gulf countries to Europe.
* Is it possible to see in the future a direct dialogue with Iran, despite what it is doing in the region?
- How to reach an understanding with one who has the regime is firmly convinced that his system is based on the ideology of extremism enshrined in the Constitution and stipulated in the command of Khomeini that he must control the Muslims of the Islamic world and the dissemination of the doctrine of Jaafari-Ethna Ashry ethnic of them throughout the Islamic world until the Mahdi appears. How can I convince this person? What are the interests between me and him? When I have a problem with another state, we start to solve it. For example, if there is an economic problem there is a continuation of what you want and what we want and how we understand it. Or a political problem, for example with Russia how to cooperate in Syria. What are your interests and what are mine. How do we cooperate in Yemen and what are your interests? How do we communicate with him ?! his logic is that the Mahdi will come and he must fertile the environment for the arrival of the Mahdi and they must control the Muslim world. They deprive their people for more than thirty years of development and put him in the stage of hunger and poor infrastructure to achieve this goal, they will not change their mind on the day and night. Otherwise, their legislation will end within Iran. What are the points of convergence that can be discussed with this system! They are almost nonexistent. This system has been tested at more than one stage, in the time of Rafsanjani and it turned out to be just plays. After the Khomeini revolution, the strategy of expansion came to anger the world and then the leader of the peace who was Rafsanjani until he gained the confidence of the world, including us, he gained our confidence. After reaching another stage and a good environment, an extremist leader is sent to continue the process of expansion, such as what we saw with Ahmadinejad in Iraq, Syria and other locations. Then another leader comes to preserve the gains to satisfy the world. And then an extremist commander comes in order to continue the deployment of expansion, this will not happen, this is over. The believer is not bitten twice from a hole. We have been bitten once, and we will not be bitten again. And we know that we are the main goal of the Iranian regime, to access to the Muslim Qibla is the major goal of the Iranian regime. We will never wait until the battle occurs in Saudi Arabia, but we will work to have the battle in Iran rather than in Saudi Arabia.
* What do you think of the solution in Syria, how do you see?
- Syria is undoubtedly a very complex situation, no doubt that former US President Barack Obama missed a lot of important opportunities that could have made a big change in Syria. Today, Syria has become an international issue. Russia is present there and it is a superpower and a big country. The United States of America exists and all five major countries are there. Any friction that may occurs between these big powers could cause a crisis which is much bigger than the Middle East crisis, the situation is very complex. Today we are trying to make the most gains for the interests of Saudi Arabia, the interests of the Syrian people and the countries of the region.