沙特鼓励美企投资以降低对油价依赖

Saudi Arabia has drawn up a new strategy to convince US companies to invest in the kingdom, as it struggles to deal with the impact of sharply lower oil prices.

由于油价急剧下跌的影响令其难以应对，沙特阿拉伯为说服美国企业投资该国制定了新的战略。

Officials have been contacting a host of US corporations as Riyadh looks to increase foreign investment in its stuttering economy and boost employment, according to people familiar with the matter.

据知情人士透露，政府官员一直在与多家美国企业接触，原因是沙特政府正试图为面临困境的经济增加外国投资并提振就业。

“The point is to attract inflows of cash and create jobs, which is why there is a focus on retail and healthcare, which are both labour intensive sectors,” said one Saudi banker briefed on the plans.

一位获悉相关计划的沙特银行家表示：“这么做的目的在于吸引现金流入并创造就业岗位。这也是为什么方向集中于零售业和医疗保健，因为这两者都是劳动密集型产业。”

Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Saudi’s deputy crown prince, met a number of American chief executives when he and his father, King Salman, visited the US in September. Saudi officials have also been in contact with leading private equity firms to ask whether Riyadh can do business with their portfolio companies, one financier said.

在去年9月份与父亲沙特国王萨勒曼(King Salman)访问美国期间，沙特副王储穆罕默德•本•萨勒曼•阿勒沙特(Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud)会见了多名美国首席执行官。一位金融家表示，沙特官员也一直在和顶尖的私人股本公司接触，询问沙特政府是否能与它们名下的企业合作。

The investment push is part of Saudi Arabia’s drive to lessen reliance on oil prices, which have fallen from about $115 a barrel in the summer of 2014 to $36.

这一鼓励投资的行为，是沙特降低对油价依赖性的行动的一部分。目前，油价已从2014年夏季的大约每桶115美元，跌至每桶36美元。