إدريس البارقي

This is an MBS appreciation post. I don’t think he gets anywhere near enough credit for what he’s doing for the Muslim world. In Sudan, he’s fighting against the genocidal RSF militia. In Yemen, he’s backing the Yemeni government against the khat munching rogue Houthi militia. In Syria, he’s investing billions into its reconstruction and is the main backer of the vision to turn the country into a major trade and connectivity hub. In Lebanon, he’s the main backer of the Lebanese government, both economically and diplomatically. In Palestine, he’s helped secure Trump’s backing for the Gaza peace plan and is set to invest billions in Gaza’s reconstruction and the establishment of a Palestinian state. He successfully lobbied France, Britain, Portugal, Luxembourg, Malta, Andorra, Monaco and San Marino to recognise Palestinian statehood, with Belgium also committing to recognition. In Pakistan, he’s repeatedly stepped in with billions in financial assistance to help prevent an economic collapse. In Somalia, he’s supporting Somalia’s unity and working to block any recognition of breakaway regions like Somaliland. And in Saudi Arabia, he’s grown the sovereign wealth fund from $150 billion to 1 trillion and doubled the country’s GDP since taking power. All of this while confronting Iranian and Israeli expansionism across the region, and while being called a traitor and a sellout. If you’ve been conditioned to hate this man, ask yourself how much of that hatred comes from what you actually know and how much comes from what you’ve been fed. Because whatever you think of him, you should be hoping and praying that he succeeds in what he’s trying to achieve. If his vision succeeds, the entire Muslim world stands to benefit.