Saudi Prince Ally Arrested For Corruption
CEO of the Royal Commission for AlUla Amr bin Saleh Abdulrahman Al-Madani has been arrested amid claims of corruption. (Arab News Photo)
Amr al-Madani, who holds the position of CEO at the Royal Commission of AlUla in Saudi Arabia, was recently detained on allegations of corruption on January 28. This incident has garnered significant attention in the art world, especially considering Saudi Arabia's ongoing efforts to transform AlUla into an extravagant cultural and tourist hub in the northwest of the country.
AlUla is a key element in Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman's ambitious "Vision 2030" plan. This multi-billion dollar strategy aims to position Saudi Arabia as a global epicenter for arts and culture. At the heart of this vision is AlUla, a region characterized by its desert landscape and sandstone valleys, home to over 30,000 historical sites.
The Saudi government has committed over $35 billion for the next six years to develop this region into a dynamic "living museum." Current projects include a collaboration with the Paris-based Centre Pompidou, expected to open between 2028 and 2029. This venture aligns with the Royal Commission's efforts, which also include organizing the outdoor sculpture biennial, Desert X.
Amr al-Madani, who holds the position of CEO at the Royal Commission of AlUla
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Saudi media outlets have reported, citing sources from the Kingdom’s anti-corruption authority (Nazaha), that Al-Madani faces charges related to "abuse of authority and money laundering" during his tenure prior to his involvement with AlUla. These allegations are tied to his activities at King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, a scientific institution, where he is accused of profiting from contracts awarded to a company he co-owned. Despite leaving the company in 2017 to join AlUla, Al-Madani allegedly continued to exert influence and secure contracts for his former company from the Royal Commission of AlUla. These contracts, totaling approximately 206.6 million Saudi riyals ($55.1 million), are said to have benefited him financially. According to reports, three of his associates have also been arrested and are currently awaiting trial after confessing to their involvement.
AlUla's collaboration with France, a country renowned for its rich museum culture, has placed it in the global art spotlight. In 2018, a ten-year exclusive deal was struck between Prince Mohamed and French President Emmanuel Macron. This agreement, involving an annual payment of €30 million ($32.4 million), encompasses a range of cultural and luxury projects. Al-Madani, in a statement to the Art Newspaper, lauded this French collaboration and expressed AlUla's eagerness to engage with other international cultural institutions, underlining the significance of such partnerships in Saudi Arabia's "Vision 2030."
Despite these ambitious plans, the development of AlUla has faced challenges, including management changes and dissatisfaction from French diplomatic circles over the pace of progress. Notably, Jean-François Charnier, the scientific director of the French Agency for the Development of AlUla, resigned after being indicted in an investigation into the trafficking of looted Egyptian antiquities to the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Charnier, who has denied these allegations, was succeeded by Sophie Makariou, the former president of the Musée Guimet in Paris. The agency, established in Paris in 2018, is part of the France-Saudi Arabia intergovernmental agreement.
