From the Gulf to the Red Sea
Al-Ahram, Egypt, May 27
My recent trip to Jeddah was not merely for political commentary at the Arab League Summit; I also acted as part of an Egyptian media delegation, engaged in dialogues with colleagues across the Arab world. For me, the journey was an opportunity to assess what had transpired in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia one year after another summit—an Arab-American summit. Egypt’s transition from the symbolic “river to the sea” is being realized; the Nile epitomizes our nation’s existence while the sea translates into broadened horizons through our country’s connections to three continents. Likewise, Saudi Arabia’s geographic, demographic, and geo-economic factors lend it a unique weight in the Gulf region, evidenced by its population, oil resources, and the ever-growing Iranian threat. A momentous new development on the Red Sea, in the Al-Ula Governorate, is coming to life these days, with the construction of the city of Neom, which promises to be a technological marvel. Likewise, Jeddah, the port city, is also experiencing a revival with the introduction of tourism, logistics, island development, and even the establishment of a regional organization for the Red Sea. This surge marks a major transformation that will diversify the region’s revenue sources and realize its goal of becoming an essential hub located near the tri-continental juncture of Asia, Europe, and Africa. It is important to note that these changes do not diminish the importance of the Nile in Egypt or the Gulf in Saudi Arabia, but rather create an additional powerhouse that increases the strength of the Arab world while opening up a range of unprecedented opportunities for its citizens. —Abdel Monem Said (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)
This holiday season, give to:
Truth and understanding
The Media Line's intrepid correspondents are in Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Pakistan providing first-person reporting.
They all said they cover it.
We see it.
We report with just one agenda: the truth.
