Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he is “deeply honoured” to be part of the Saudi Media Forum, being held in Riyadh.
“I can see the incredible speed with which Saudi Arabia is becoming a number one tourist destination. There is a lesson for us in the speed and decisiveness of change,” he told delegates at the forum.
As an example of the changes happening in the kingdom, Johnson quoted the Saudi tech sector, where “there is 35% female participation in the work force… more than silicon valley.”
Asked about his often fractious relationship with the media, Johnson said:
“I didn’t always have a good relationship with the media, but the point about politicians is that they shouldn’t have a good relationship with the media.
“The media is not here to tell you what a great guy you are, they’re there to hold a mirror to what you are doing. There are some media which are too hostile but responsible media are doing their job.”
Politicians have to engage and tell their stories, according to Johnson, but engaging on social media can can be a double edged sword. “Social media can distort people’s understanding of the world. Social media tells people what they want to hear. Responsible media can do better than what happens on social media…”
Boris Johnson has just released a memoir. The book is titled Unleashed.