DUBAI - Saudi Arabian billionaire Prince AlWaleed bin Talal, a nephew of King Abdullah, has thrown his support behind allowing Saudi women to drive, saying it makes economic sense.
Women are barred from driving in the Arab kingdom - leaving them reliant on mostly foreign drivers.
"(The question of) women driving will result in dispensing with at least 500000 foreign drivers, and that has an economic and social impact for the country," the prince said on his Twitter account.
He did not spell out the economic benefits, but Saudi officials have said they are worried about the amount of money being sent out of the country by foreign workers.
Many Saudi families would also have more disposable income if they no longer had to pay for drivers. Saudi Arabia, home to about nine million foreign workers, began a crackdown on illegal immigrants this year to boost the proportion of Saudi citizens in private sector jobs from the current 10%.
In the same Twitter message, the prince said he supported that campaign.
While there is no written legislation banning women from driving, Saudi law requires citizens to use locally issued licences while in the country.
Such licences are not issued to women, making it effectively illegal for them to drive.
Prince backs women
DUBAI - Saudi Arabian billionaire Prince AlWaleed bin Talal, a nephew of King Abdullah, has thrown his support behind allowing Saudi women to drive, saying it makes economic sense.
Women are barred from driving in the Arab kingdom - leaving them reliant on mostly foreign drivers.
"(The question of) women driving will result in dispensing with at least 500000 foreign drivers, and that has an economic and social impact for the country," the prince said on his Twitter account.
He did not spell out the economic benefits, but Saudi officials have said they are worried about the amount of money being sent out of the country by foreign workers.
Many Saudi families would also have more disposable income if they no longer had to pay for drivers. Saudi Arabia, home to about nine million foreign workers, began a crackdown on illegal immigrants this year to boost the proportion of Saudi citizens in private sector jobs from the current 10%.
In the same Twitter message, the prince said he supported that campaign.
While there is no written legislation banning women from driving, Saudi law requires citizens to use locally issued licences while in the country.
Such licences are not issued to women, making it effectively illegal for them to drive.