These workers came from countries like India, Bangladesh and Nepal. This macabre census has been carried out since 2016, the start date of the project “Saudi Vision 2030”. This is a series of construction projects that will enable Saudi Arabia to prosper. Another objective: to allow the tourism sector to give the country a boost to become less dependent on oil exports.
Among these megaprojects, “The Line” is the most pharaonic. This residential tower is therefore 170 kilometers long and 500 meters high for a price of 470 billion euros. It is a “smart and linear city” which is part of a futuristic project even better known as NEOM. This future construction will be located on the northwest coast of Saudi Arabia, on the border with Egypt. The building is to house nine million people.
In the documentary broadcast on ITV, witnesses spoke of inhumane working conditions. Workers are required to work 16-hour days, while wage theft and human rights violations have been noted. “They are captured slaves and beggars,” assures the witness. “We don’t get enough rest. Our lack of sleep causes many accidents. Last month there were four or five cases.”
Saudi crown prince unveils plans for futuristic NEOM megacity
CEO of major Saudi investment project resigns
This Wednesday, the American daily ‘The Wall Street Journal’ explains that Nadhmi Al-Nasr resigned “abruptly”. This man was the CEO of one of NEOM’s major Saudi investment projects.
If no specific reason was mentioned, our colleagues explain that numerous “delays, additional costs and staff turnover have poisoned the project”.
For Mediapart, the context is particularly unfavorable for the Saudis: they must even face the facts that they will not be able to finance “all the giant projects” that they had announced since the launch of the Vision 2030 economic transformation project.
“The Line”, the futuristic project which, after the mockery, gives way to concern
“The Line” would, for example, be much less ambitious since the developers very quickly opted “for a construction “only” 2.4 kilometers long”.
Other top executives also resigned from the project like Wayne Borg and Antoni Vives. The first city was known for “his insulting remarks about Southeast Asian migrant workers as ‘fucking morons'”according to the Qatari website Middle East Eye.
Faced with this flood of criticism, NEOM leaders responded. “We are evaluating the claims made in the ITV program and will take appropriate action if necessary.”they wrote in a press release. “We require all contractors and subcontractors to adhere to the NEOM Code of Conduct, based on the laws of Saudi Arabia and the policies of the International Labor Organization, and are subject to regular inspections of living conditions and work of their employees.”
