Crown Prince’s US triumphs will have a lasting impact

▶ In less than a year, Mohammed bin Salman has upended the world’s preconceptions

The tour began in Washington, where Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s ambitious crown prince, cemented his country’s ties with the United States. Virtually the entire US political establishment queued up to meet the man who is spearheading a radical transformation of his conservative kingdom. Donald Trump, the US president, loudly stated that the bond between Saudi Arabia and his nation was stronger than ever before, signing a major arms deal with Washington’s oldest ally in the Middle East. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill defeated a proposal in the Senate to halt US support for Riyadh’s campaign in Yemen to restore that country’s legitimate government. That was only the start. Over the next three weeks, Prince Mohammed crisscrossed the US, meeting business leaders, tech gurus, space pioneers, opinion-makers and celebrities. He dined with Hollywood stars Michael Douglas and Morgan Freeman while discussing bringing western films to Saudi Arabia. He received a rousing reception at Harvard and MIT, held discussions with Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and Sir Richard Branson, with a view to forging crucial partnerships in technology and accelerating investment in Saudi Arabia, and even met Oprah Winfrey.

There is no precedent for what has been accomplished over the past three weeks. He presented himself as the symbol of a new Saudi Arabia and Americans embraced him without hesitation. Further, Prince Mohammed invited transparency, which left no room for doubt: Saudi Arabia is open to the world. The crown prince did not, however, rest on his laurels. He immediately flew to France on an official bilateral visit. In Paris, he will woo European businesses while repeating his argument for a tougher stance against Iran. In less than a year, he has upended the world’s perception about Saudi Arabia. The road ahead will not be easy, but the world is rooting for Saudi Arabia, thanks to its crown prince.