Covid-19 in Saudi Arabia: Beyond the health crisis

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic is already exerting a heavy economic toll on all areas of the world. The energy producing countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) make no exception. In Saudi Arabia, the economic impact of the pandemic has been, so far, significant. Meanwhile, 2020 is a particularly important year for Saudi Arabia's internal socio-political cohesion and its international stance. Internationally, the Kingdom will be subject to increasing scrutiny ahead of the Riyadh-hosted November G20 summit while, domestically, authorities are expected to accelerate the pace of economic and social reforms related to Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 programme. Economic turbulences are affecting the calculation of decision makers when it comes to both domestic and foreign policy.