Special report: The complex relationship between Saudi Arabia and UAE that could soon shape the Premier League

Description

"I would say MBZ had a very important role to play in the making of MBS, along with his father," says Andreas Krieg, political risk analyst and professor at King’s College London. "From then on there was this mentor relationship where MBS looks up to MBZ for guidance and has done so ever since."

Prof Krieg said MBZ had received an intelligence report in 2014 that MBS was
destined for the top. By June 2017, the charm offensive paid off: his protege became Saudi crown prince following King Salman's decision to depose Muhammad bin Nayef.

Prof Krieg agrees, describing MBS as a "very young, impulsive character who doesn't really understand how to run a Government or a state" as he rushes through attempts to transform Saudi from a "very autocratic police state, second to only Iran or North Korea".

Period	28 Jun 2020
Held at	The Telegraph, United Kingdom