The country has the chance to change direction, open up, and win the investment that would transform its natural and human resources into the economic engine needed. It just needs the will.
Old fields could produce 400,000 barrels of oil per day within a year and there are some large natural gas reserves to exploit, but investment is needed to make the most of the opportunity.
Promising new discoveries, big new deals on gas, and a successful second public share offering is shaping one of the world's biggest companies to beat its own high expectations.
Streamlining the public sector, enhancing the role of the private sector, and reviewing financial policies away from sovereign funds are just some of the reforms needed. Time is running out.
When Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visits the White House to meet with US President Donald Trump on 18 November, there will be no shortage of issues for the two leaders to discuss
Since Trump began lifting sanctions in May, no time has been wasted. US investment delegations have been flocking to Damascus, and security cooperation has already started.
The olive tree is no longer just a source of sustenance for West Bank Palestinians, but a silent witness to their profound struggle between permanence and erasure