Saudi Arabia committed to energy price reform
Khalid al-Falih, head of Saudi Arabia’s new energy and mineral resources ministry. (World Energy Congress)
The sacking of Saudi Arabia’s electricity and water minister, Abdullah al-Hasin, on 24 April initially appeared to be a pushback against the ambitious reform programme planned by Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The move followed a tide of complaints on social media, with claims water prices had risen by as much as 500% since the announcement of new tariffs in late 2015. Critics on Twitter argued the subsidy cuts were the result of economic mismanagement and that ordinary Saudis were footing the bill for the country’s expensive military intervention in Yemen’s civil war.