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Saudi Arabia has opened its first liquor store in the diplomatic district of its capital, Riyadh, two sources told CNBC.
The news, which has been officially released through the Saudi government, marks a first step forward for the highly conservative Muslim theocracy, where alcohol has been banned since 1952.
According to a list of trade regulations observed via CNBC, the venue is only available to non-Muslim diplomats and the permit will need to be validated through an app called Diplo.
No visitors or anyone under the age of 21 is permitted to accompany legal visitors into the store, photography is strictly prohibited, and cell phones must be kept in secure “cell bags” so they are not used in the store. Purchases are also subject to a monthly fee formula consistent with the registered conson.
Rumors have abounded for years that the Gulf kingdom, known for its ultra-conservative laws, would eventually allow alcohol outside foreign embassies as part of its broader crusade to liberalize Saudi society and attract more foreign tourists and expats. The diplomatic quarter is a small step in that direction, a Saudi representative close to the kingdom’s royal court told CNBC.
“It’s a baby step to opening up alcohol sales to non-Muslims in Saudi Arabia eventually, to hotels and other venues,” said the consultant, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the topic.
They added that one of the key goals was to “solve the smuggling challenge we’ve had with diplomats. “In Saudi Arabia, it is known that foreign embassy staff, who would possibly import alcohol to preserve it on embassy premises, occasionally import alcohol in large quantities. quantities and then resell it on the black market.
A Western diplomat based in Riyadh, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of painting restrictions, said his colleagues had visited the store before and that it was “extremely well stocked. “
CNBC has contacted Saudi Arabia’s ministries of media and foreign affairs for comment.
Saudi Arabia has undergone seismic shifts, socially and economically, in the years since young Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, now the kingdom’s de facto ruler, came to power.
His idea, Vision 2030, is a multibillion-dollar crusade to rebrand the Gulf country, attract tourism and diversify its economy away from oil.
The kingdom has seen a series of liberal reforms implemented since Crown Prince Mohammed came to power, with Saudi Arabia previously allowing banned things like driving, cinemas and concerts, while cracking down on dissent and jailing political activists.
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