On Monday, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced reforms that move towards a codified Saudi law.
For lawyers around the world, the devil is always in the details. Tightly defined laws are the framework within which legal practitioners operate, in the hope of providing clarity and predictability to citizens, governments and businesses. They also give lawyers and judges a concrete base from which to develop new legal thinking. Even in the oldest systems, the evolution of the law is never finished.
Less common is a total overhaul of a state's judicial system. But under Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, that is exactly what is happening.
Law reforms are intended to help diversify the Saudi economy. Getty Images
Across the region, governments are planning for a future without the certainties of old
The specific contents of the reforms will be announced throughout 2021, but Prince Mohammed detailed their intentions: boosting consistency and efficiency, and reducing ambiguity of rulings in the nation's courts. Saudi Arabia is the largest economy in the Arab world. The entire region will stand to benefit from the economic opportunities the reforms create.
The nation's judiciary has no legal framework accompanying its system of Islamic law, under which judges rely on their own interpretations of how religious-legal texts relate to cases. This leads to lengthy litigations, in which sentencing and outcomes emerge not from precedent and codified laws – as is the case in many legal systems – but only from judicial process.
Prince Mohammed has said that the reforms will institute an accompanying framework for judges, which will be informed by international standards while remaining in line with the principles of Islamic law.
This will let judges settle cases more quickly. It will also reduce the possibility of inconsistencies in rulings that affect companies and residents in the country.
Consistency is key for business. Saudi Arabia fell short of its 2019 $10 billion target for foreign direct investment, instead securing $4.6bn. Even with the difficult economic conditions caused by the pandemic, a more predictable legal landscape will ease the operations of international companies in the country. This will help the nation realise its ambitions.
The move towards codification will also reduce ambiguity about how laws apply to Saudi society. Prince Mohammed stressed that legal inconsistency disproportionately impacts women in the country.
While the scale of Saudi Arabia's changes are remarkable, it is not the only country in the Gulf digging into its legal system to find opportunities for reform. Both the UAE and Oman have recently introduced significant legal reforms to adapt to today's interconnected world, encourage business and advance their societies.
Across the region, governments are planning for a future without the certainties of old. Observers abroad will be missing a trick if they assume this only involves new cities, huge investment strategies and space missions. Underpinning all of this are quieter, but equally significant innovations.
Stats at a glance:
Cost: 1.05 billion pounds (Dh 4.8 billion)
Number in service: 6
Complement 191 (space for up to 285)
Top speed: over 32 knots
Range: Over 7,000 nautical miles
Length 152.4 m
Displacement: 8,700 tonnes
Beam: 21.2 m
Draught: 7.4 m
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples. Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts. Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
GroupA: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
