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King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

SAUDI ARABIA - Diplomacy

Shared Responsibility

The Custodian, Two Holy Mosques,

Bio

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was born in 1935 and is the 25th son of King Abdullaziz Ibn Saud, the first King of Saudi Arabia. He was appointed the Crown Prince in 2012 before ascending to the throne on January 23rd, 2015 following the death of his half-brother Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. Prior to becoming the Crown Prince and then King, he spent nearly five decades as Governor of Riyadh from 1963 until 2011. He oversaw the development of the region from a desert town to a modern, urban metropolis that is one of the richest provinces in the Gulf as well as a key destination for trade and commerce. Since ascending to the throne, King Salman has overseen a number of political reforms, cementing the line of succession for through the appointment of a new Crown Prince and Deputy Crown Prince.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, on building a solid and diversified economy and measures taken to fight extremism.

In the name of Allah, most compassionate and merciful. Grace and gratitude be to Allah for having bestowed upon us His bountiful graces and accepted for us the religion of Islam, and prayers and peace be upon our Prophet Mohammad, the seal of all apostles, and upon his family and all his companions. King Abdulaziz, blessed be his soul, and the sons of this land have laid the pillars of this state, and implemented its unity in accordance with the righteous Sharia and the tradition of the Prophet, PBUH. Throughout the decades that followed the foundation of the State all the way through the reign of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, BBHS, your country—all thanks to Allah—has steadily been traveling the path of growth and development, holding fast to the principles of its pure faith, and adhering to the original nature and tenants of this society.

Allah Almighty graces this land with the honor of serving the Two Holy Mosques, and the Kingdom, since its foundation, has always been carrying out its duties and responsibilities, particularly those that serve Islam and meet the anticipations of Muslims so that they may always comfortably and peacefully perform their Hajj and Umrah.

I have committed myself to continuing the work on the immutable foundations on which this blessed country has stood since its unification: adherence to Islamic law sharia, preservation of the unity, security, and stability of this country, and continuance of construction and the completion of the foundations that were laid out by the late kings of this country. We shall work continually towards the integrated, balanced, and comprehensive development in all regions of the Kingdom, justice for all citizens, and provision of opportunities for all to achieve their legitimate aspirations and wishes in accordance with the state’s regulations and procedures.
Every citizen in our country and every part of our dear land has all my attention and care. There is no difference between a citizen and another, nor is there a difference between a region and another. And I look forward to the contributions of all to serving the homeland. I have instructed the Minister of Interior to emphasize to the governors of the regions the importance of receiving and listening to citizens, and submitting the ideas and suggestions they voice to serve the country and its citizens, while providing them with the means of comfort.
We affirm our commitment to addressing the causes of differences and to eliminate all matters that would stratify the society in a way that harms national unity. All citizens are equal in rights and duties.

Media plays a major role, in accordance with the teachings of Islam, in supporting these efforts, providing an opportunity to express opinion and air the facts, instead of provoking difference or disagreement among the components of society. The media has to be contributors to harmony and construction, and a cause of strengthening the bonds of unity and national cohesion.

Over the past few years, high oil prices have positively influenced the Saudi economy and contributed to the completion of projects. We are working toward building a solid economy based on strong grounds that will lead to multiple sources of income. This will lead to better savings and better job opportunities in both the public and private sectors. We are going to encourage and support SMEs to grow, so that these become a strong economic areas for a large segment of society. The coming years will witness rich and great achievements that enhance industrial and services roles in the national economy.

Though oil prices are dropping and affecting the Saudi economy, we are working to limit the effects on the development march. And operations for the exploration of oil and gas will continue, with the grace of Allah.
In the field of services, we are working on developing governmental services by improving healthcare services for all citizens throughout the Kingdom, so that healthcare centers, referral, and specialized hospitals will be available to all citizens wherever they are.

For our sons and daughters, I say that your country has put all potentials and smoothed all the means so that you enjoy the best education at the most prestigious universities locally and abroad. Saudi Arabia is looking forward to your contributions. You have invested your time well because you are your country’s future investment. We are keen on finding you jobs and professions that promise you a respected life. Both governmental and private sectors have mutual responsibility to do so.

For the businessmen in our dear country, I say: you are partners in development. The State works to support the private sector so that it contributes to improving the national economy. You are part of the fabric of this country which has granted you many privileges, and it awaits much from you. You have a commitment to your country by taking initiatives in fields of employment and the social and economic services.

Those are attached by working in order to achieve security and stability in the world, establish the principles of justice and peace along with the commitment to dialogue, resolve differences through peaceful means, and reject the use of force and violence or any actions that threaten international peace and security. With the emergence of the phenomenon of extremism and terrorism as a global scourge that has no religion, the Kingdom has focused on the fight against extremism and terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, whatever its sources, and on cooperation with brotherly and friendly countries and the international organizations in the fight against this detestable menace, and in seeking eradicating its roots and causes.
We are part of this world and face its problems and challenges. We all share this responsibility and will actively contribute to putting solutions for many urgent international issues, including the issues of environment and promotion of sustainable development. We will continue to work with international organizations and institutions as well as international partners.

Realizing the heavy responsibility I am entrusted with, I ask Allah Almighty to help me perform this trust as best as it will be graced by Allah’s acceptance; and I pray that He preserve for our country its security and stability and help us support our religion and achieve our aspirations.
Wasslamou Aleykum Wa Rahmatou Allah Wa Barakatouhou.

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