Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz has issued new royal decrees; announcing several new domestic policies and a cabinet reshuffle. The policies are expected to immensely influence the domestic and foreign policy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Firstly, the royal decrees included several domestic policies, among them is the payment of two months’ salary to the troops fighting in the vanguard in Yemen, and the scheduling of students’ exams to be held before the start of Ramadan.
Secondly, the more important set of decisions are the ones concerned with the reshuffle of the cabinet. The most evident thing in the reshuffle is that young princes are more integrated into important posts now, as an attempt to have a more “youthified” ruling system.
Here are the highlights of the most important changes as reported by AlArabiya:
- Prince Khalid bin Salman has been appointed Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to the United States, while Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman was named the kingdom’s new Minister of State for Energy Affairs.
- Prince Saud bin Khalid bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz, the former Governor of the General Authority for Investment, was assigned Deputy Governor of Medina.
- Meanwhile, Saudi Minister of State for Civil Service Khaled Al Araj was removed from his post and set to be investigated. Essam bin Saeed replaces him.
- On the military front, Prince Fahd bin Turki was appointed as commander of Saudi Arabia’s ground forces while Arab Coalition spokesman and Saudi Defense Ministry Adviser Gen. Major Ahmad Asiri was appointed as Deputy Head of Saudi Intelligence.
- Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, the former Consultant at the Royal Diwan, was assigned Deputy Governor of Riyadh.