Page semi-protected
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigationJump to search

Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (Arabic: سلمان بن عبد العزیز آل سعود Salmān ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azīz Āl Su‘ūd, Najdi Arabic pronunciation: [sælˈmæːn ben ˈʕæbd ælʕæˈziːz ʔæːl sæˈʕuːd]; born 31 December 1935) is King of Saudi Arabia and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.

Salman, the 25th son of King Abdulaziz, was the deputy governor of Riyadh and later the governor of Riyadh for 48 years from 1963 to 2011. He was then appointed Minister of Defense. He was named the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia in 2012. Salman became king in 2015 upon the death of his half-brother, King Abdullah. Since December 2019, he is the oldest surviving son of King Abdulaziz.

His major initiatives as king include the Saudi intervention in the Yemeni Civil War, Saudi Vision 2030, and a 2017 decree allowing Saudi women to drive. His son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is considered the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia and has led many reforms within the country, as well as engendering a number of controversies, including the 2017 arrest of members of the Saudi royal family and the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi.

Early life

Salman was born on 31 December 1935, and is reported to be the 25th son of King Abdulaziz, the first monarch and founder of Saudi Arabia.[1] Salman and his six full brothers make up the Sudairi Seven.[2][3] He was raised in the Murabba Palace.[4]

Salman received his early education at the Princes' School[5] in the capital city of Riyadh, a school established by King Abdulaziz specifically to provide education for his children.[6] He studied religion and modern science.[7]

Governor of Riyadh

Governor Salman bin Abdulaziz with Vladimir Putin in 2007

Salman was appointed deputy governor of Riyadh Province on 17 March 1954, aged 19, and held the post until 19 April 1955.[1] He was appointed the provincial governor on 5 February 1963,[6] and remained in that office until 5 November 2011.[7]

As governor, he contributed to the development of Riyadh from a mid-sized town into a major urban metropolis. He served as an important liaison to attract tourism, capital projects, and foreign investment to his country. He favored political and economic relationships with the West.[8] During his governorship, Salman recruited advisors from King Saud University.[9]

During Salman's five decades as Riyadh governor, he became adept at managing the delicate balance of clerical, tribal, and princely interests that determine Saudi policy.[10] He was also the chairman of the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (KAFRA),[11] King Abdulaziz Museum,[12] the Prince Salman Center for Disability Research and the Prince Fahd bin Salman Charitable Society for the Care of Kidney Patients.[1]

King Salman also undertook several foreign tours while he was governor. In 1974, he visited Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar to strengthen Saudi Arabia's relationship with those nations. During his visit to Montreal, Canada in 1991, he inaugurated a gallery. In 1996, he was received in the Élysée Palace in Paris by the then-French president Jacques Chirac. The same year he toured Bosnia and Herzegovina to give donations to the Muslim citizens of the country. Being a part of an Asian tour in 1998, Salman visited Pakistan, Japan, Brunei[13] and China.[14]

According to the Washington Post, Saudi journalist the late Jamal Khashoggi "criticized Prince Salman, then governor of Riyadh and head of the Saudi committee for support to the Afghan mujahideen, for unwisely funding Salafist extremist groups that were undermining the war [in Afghanistan against the Soviets]."[15]

Under Salman, Riyadh became one of the richest cities in the Middle East and an important place for trade and commerce. There were also infrastructural advances including schools, universities, and sports stadiums.[1] About the province, he said:

Every village or town in the Riyadh Region is dear to me, and holds a special place in my heart ... I witnessed every step taken by the city of Riyadh, and for this reason, it is difficult for me to think about being far away from Riyadh.[1]

Second in line

Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz meeting with US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel in Riyadh, 9 December 2013

On 5 November 2011, Salman was appointed Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, replacing his full brother, the late Crown Prince Sultan.[16] Sattam bin Abdulaziz was named governor of Riyadh Province. Salman was also named a member of the National Security Council (NSC) on the same day.[17]

It is speculated that he was placed in the immediate line of succession due to his personal qualities. First, he has a conciliatory and diplomatic nature. He headed the family council, called The Descendants' Council (Majlis al Uthra in Arabic), that was established by King Fahd in 2000 to solve family matters, reach consensus and try to avoid any publicly embarrassing behaviour by some family members.[18][19] Second, Salman belongs to the "middle generation" in the royal family; therefore, he could develop close ties with both generations socially and culturally. Last, as a result of his long-term governorship, he had developed a network of relationships within Arab and international circles.[20]

Salman continued the policy of military intervention in Bahrain. In April 2012, Salman visited both the United States and the United Kingdom where he met with US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron.[21][22] 2013 saw Saudi military spending climb to $67bn, overtaking that of the UK, France and Japan to place fourth globally.[23] As defense minister, Salman was head of the military as Saudi Arabia joined the United States and other Arab countries in carrying out airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria in 2014.

Crown Prince

Crown Prince Salman meeting US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, 23 April 2013

On 18 June 2012, Salman was appointed as Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia shortly after the death of his brother, Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz.[24][25] Prince Salman was also made First Deputy Prime minister.[26] His nomination as crown prince and deputy prime minister was seen by some as a signal that King Abdullah's cautious reforms were likely to continue.[26] On the other hand, Saudi reformists stated that while Prince Salman, in contrast to other Saudi royals, took a more diplomatic approach towards them, he could not be considered a political reformer.[27] They also argued that, like King Abdullah, Salman focused mainly on economic improvement rather than political change.[27]

On 27 August 2012, the Royal Court announced that Salman was in charge of state affairs whilst King Abdullah was out of the country.[28] Prince Salman launched a Twitter account on 23 February 2013.[29] In September 2012, Salman was named as the deputy chairman of the military service council.[30] He is a strong advocate for philanthropy in poor Muslim nations such as Somalia, Sudan, and Afghanistan.[8]

King of Saudi Arabia

US President Barack Obama shakes hands with King Salman, Riyadh, 27 January 2015

On 23 January 2015, Salman, aged 79, inherited the throne after his half-brother Abdullah died of pneumonia at the age of 90. The new king issued a statement which read "His Highness Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and all members of the family and the nation mourn Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who passed away at exactly 1 am this morning." He appointed his younger half-brother, Muqrin bin Abdulaziz, as Crown Prince.[31]

US Secretary of State John Kerry with Salman at Andrews Air Force Base in Camp Springs, Maryland, 3 September 2015

After coming to power, Salman reshuffled the cabinet on 30 January 2015. Khalid bin Ali bin Abdullah al-Humaidan was made the intelligence chief. Prince Bandar bin Sultan was removed from his post in the security council and the adviser to the monarch was also removed as were the former monarch's sons Turki as governor of Riyadh and Mishaal as governor of Mecca. Ali al-Naimi remained the minister of petroleum and mineral resources, as did Saud al-Faisal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ibrahim Al-Assaf as finance minister. Salman also "gave a bonus of two months' salary to all Saudi state employees and military personnel", including pensioners and students, while also asking citizens to "not forget me in your prayers".[32]

In February 2015, he received Prince Charles during his six-day tour in the Middle East. They "exchanged cordial talks and reviewed bilateral relations" between the countries.[33]

In April 2021, Prince Mishaal bin Majid Al Saud, who has been the governor of Jeddah since 1997, was appointed as adviser to King Salman with the rank of minister.[34]

Early reforms

One of the first things the King and his son, Mohammad bin Salman, did was to streamline the government bureaucracy. On the death of King Abdullah, there were as many as eleven government secretariats, and all of these were abolished and reconstituted as only two, the Council of Political and Security Affairs (CPSA), headed by Deputy Crown prince Mohammed bin Nayef, and the Council for Economic and Development Affairs (CEDA), headed by the Secretary-General of the Royal Court, Prince Mohammad bin Salman, who was given free rein to completely reorganize the government[35] and cementing the power of the Sudairi faction, to which both princes belong.

Yemen military intervention

In March 2015, the king ordered the bombing of Yemen and military intervention against the Shia Houthis and forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was deposed in the 2011 uprising.[36] He first put together a coalition of ten Sunni Muslim countries. Code-named Operation Decisive Storm, this was the first time the Saudi Air Force had launched airstrikes against another country since the 1990–91 Gulf War.

According to Farea Al-Muslim, direct war crimes have been committed during the conflict; for example, an IDP camp was hit by a Saudi airstrike.[37] Human Rights Watch (HRW) wrote that the Saudi-led air campaign had conducted airstrikes in apparent violation of the laws of war.[38] Human rights groups have also criticized Saudi Arabia for the alleged use of cluster bombs against Yemeni civilians.[39]

Crown Prince changes

King Salman's nephew Muhammad bin Nayef (left) became Crown Prince in 2015. In 2017, the King issued a royal decree that removed Muhammad bin Nayef as Crown Prince and appointed one of his sons, Mohammed bin Salman, to the position.

In April 2015, three months after becoming king, Salman appointed a full nephew, Muhammad bin Nayef, as the new Crown Prince to replace his youngest brother Prince Muqrin. Furthermore, he made his son, Mohammed bin Salman, the Deputy Crown Prince. Almost all powers under the king were concentrated in the hands of the crown prince and deputy crown prince, both of whom held the portfolio determining all security and economic development issues in Saudi Arabia.[40]

King Salman then removed Muhammad bin Nayef from the line of succession to the Saudi throne on 21 June 2017 and designated his son Muhammad bin Salman as the new crown prince.[41] At the same time, King Salman removed Muhammad bin Nayef from his other positions in the Saudi government.[42] Mohammad bin Salman has been described as the power behind the throne.[43]

KSRelief

In May 2015 the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Aid (KSRelief) was established to deliver aid internationally to victims of civil war and natural disaster, working with the UN and other agencies. As of June 2018, KSRelief has implemented more than 400 individual projects in 40 countries at a cost of $1.8 billion.[44] Moreover, in 2018, KSRelief assisted 180,555 Syrian patients living in Zataari Syrian refugees camp in Jordan.[45] In 2019, KSRelief signed a memorandum of cooperation with UNICEF that aims at enhancing cooperation in the humanitarian field, exchanging knowledge, sharing experiences, promoting voluntary work and boosting capacity building programs.[46] Until 2019, the center provided 1,839 Yemeni civilians wounded during the war with prosthetic limbs for a total amount of $2.3 million.[47]

In its ongoing efforts to support the people of Yemen, KSRelief organized a vocational training program to train women in Yemen to enable them to earn money for themselves and their families.[48] In a similar context, under the umbrella of the UN, KSRelief has led an international team to implement a rehabilitation project for the children affected by war in Yemen.[49] Moreover, as part of the 40th session of the UN Human Rights' Council, KSRelief organized an event entitled: Children and the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen where it presented a number of facts and figures related to the amount of assistance provided by the center to the people of Yemen. This includes the implementation of 328 projects for an amount of $2 billion.[50] Furthermore, in 2018 alone KSRelief provided medical services to 2,501,897 Yemenis.[51]

In 2019, KSrelief signed a number of agreements with different civil society organizations to implement relief projects for the benefit of Palestinian and Syrian refugees as well as the host Lebanese community. An agreement was concluded with the UNHCR to support the families affected by war for an amount of $5 million. Another one was concluded with IOM to help Syrian refugees under the poverty line for an amount of $3.8 million.[52]

Human rights

In February 2012, Ali Mohammed Baqir al-Nimr was arrested for participating in, and encouraging, pro-democracy protests, when he was 16 or 17 years old. In May 2014, Ali Al-Nimr was sentenced to be executed, despite the minimum age for execution being 18 when a crime is committed.[53] Ali Al-Nimr has reported that he was tortured during his detention. As of 23 September 2015, the sentence awaited ratification by King Salman.[54]

In February 2015, a man from Hafar Al-Batin was sentenced to death for rejecting the religion of Islam.[55] In June 2015, Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court upheld the sentence of 1,000 lashes and 10 years in prison for Raif Badawi, a Saudi Arabian blogger who was imprisoned in 2012 after being charged for 'insulting Islam'.[56]

In April 2020, the Saudi Supreme Court stated under a royal decree made by King Salman that minors who commit crimes will no longer face execution, but would be sentenced to imprisonment in a juvenile detention facility for a maximum of 10 years.[57][58][59]

Iran and Syria

King Salman meeting the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, 16 November 2015.

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter met with the King and his Arabian military counterpart, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, at Jeddah to answer regional security concerns in the Kingdom and the Gulf states over lifting Iranian economic and conventional military sanctions as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action outlines. The King has misgivings over the deal since it would increase the regional power of Iran especially in the proxy conflicts in Syria, Yemen, and elsewhere.[60] In January 2016, Saudi Arabia executed the prominent Saudi Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr.[61] Iran warned that the House of Saud would pay a high price for the execution of Sheikh Nimr by God's will.[61]

Saudi Arabia has emerged as the main group to finance and arm the rebels fighting against the Syrian government.[62] Saudi Arabia openly backed the Army of Conquest, an umbrella rebel group that reportedly included an al-Qaeda linked al-Nusra Front and another Salafi coalition known as Ahrar al-Sham.[63][64][65]

In May 2019, leaders of Gulf and Arab states held two emergency summits in Mecca to present a united front to Iran.[66] Salman accused Iran of threatening global oil supplies and shipping at a meeting of Arab leaders that called on the international community to confront Tehran following attacks on shipping and rising tensions in the oil-rich region.[67] Salman said "what the Iranian regime is doing, from intervening in regional countries’ affairs and developing its nuclear program, threatening global maritime traffic and global oil supplies, is a blatant violation of the treaties and principles of the United Nations." He urged the international community should "use all means to deter this regime."[68]

Panama Papers revelations

King Salman has been implicated in the Panama Papers leaks, with two companies originating in the British Virgin Islands taking mortgages in excess of US$34 million to purchase property in central London. His role has not been specified.[69] The then-Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef has also been named in association with the Papers.[70]

Later reforms

Further government reforms took place in June 2018, when King Salman replaced the labor and Islamic affairs ministers.[71] The appointment as labor minister of Ahmed al-Rajhi, a businessman, signalled a growing role for private sector expertise in the Saudi government.[72] The new minister for Islamic affairs, Abdullatif al-Alsheikh, had previously been credited with reining in the power of the religious police.[73]

At the same time King Salman ordered the establishment of a new Ministry of Culture, with responsibility for delivering Saudi Vision 2030's cultural goals; and the Council of Royal Reserves, tasked with environmental protection.[73][74]

Influence

Salman, US President Donald Trump, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi touching a glowing globe at the 2017 Riyadh summit.

Salman was often a mediator in settling royal conflicts among the extended Al Saud family – estimated at 4,000 princes. He was a prominent figure of the royal council, which allowed him to select which princes would be delegated which responsibilities of the Kingdom.[8]

Salman and his family own a media group, including pan-Arab daily Asharq Al-Awsat and Al Eqtisadiah.[75][76] Though he owns only ten percent of the Saudi Research and Marketing Group (SRMG), he is often referred by auditors as its owner.[75] He reportedly controlled the organization through his son Prince Faisal,[75] who is a former chairman of the concern. The SRMG publishes such daily papers as Arab News, Asharq Al-Awsat and Al Eqtisadiah through its subsidiary Saudi Research and Publishing Company (SRPC).[77]

Prince Salman takes part in the traditional Saudi Ardha dance in the 1960s.

In a similar vein, Salman is reported to have some strong alliances with significant journalists. He is said to be close to Al Arabiya TV director and Asharq Al-Awsat journalist Abdelrahman Al Rashid and to Othman Al Omeir, who launched and is the owner of the liberal e-newspaper Elaph. King Salman is thought to have connections with the Elaph website.[78]

Views

Salman holds traditional views with regard to political reforms and social change.[79] In November 2002, in reference to charitable organizations accused of terrorism (e.g. al-Haramain Foundation, Saudi High Commission for Relief of Bosnia and Herzegovina), he stated that he had personally taken part in the activities of such organizations,[80] but added "I know the assistance goes to doing good. But if there are those who change some work of charity into evil activities, then it is not the Kingdom's responsibility, nor its people, which helps its Arab and Muslim brothers around the world."[80]

Al Jazeera referred to Salman's views reported in a 2007 US diplomatic cable.[81][82] Salman said that "the pace and extent of reforms depend on social and cultural factors, ... that for social reasons—not [religious] reasons—reforms cannot be imposed by the [Saudi government] or there will be negative reactions, ... [and] that changes have to be introduced in a sensitive and timely manner." According to the cable, he said that "democracy should not be imposed" in Saudi Arabia, since the country "is composed of tribes and regions and if democracy were imposed, each tribe and region would have its political party."[82]

Personal life

Salman in his youth

Salman bin Abdulaziz has been married three times.[83] He had thirteen children.[84] His first wife was Sultana bint Turki Al Sudairi[85][86] who was a first cousin of Salman, being a daughter of his maternal uncle Turki bin Ahmad Al Sudairi.[87] He served as a former governor of the Asir Province.[88] They married in 1954.[89] Sultana supported the Prince Fahd bin Salman Charitable Society for the Care of Kidney Patients and other charitable organizations in the country.[90] His children from this marriage are Prince Fahd, Prince Sultan, Prince Ahmed, Prince Abdulaziz, Prince Faisal and Princess Hassa.[90] Salman was nineteen years old when his first child, Fahd, was born.[91]

His eldest son, Fahd bin Salman, died of heart failure aged 47 in July 2001.[92] His third son, Ahmad bin Salman, died after a heart attack in July 2002 aged 43.[93] Sultan bin Salman became the first person of royal blood, the first-ever Arab, and the first Muslim to fly in outer space when he flew aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-51-G) in June 1985.[94] Sultan bin Salman is currently the chairman of the Saudi Space Commission.[95] Prince Sultan bin Salman was formerly the chairman of the Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities (SCTA), which later was changed to be the ministry of Tourism.[96] Abdulaziz bin Salman has been the deputy minister of oil since 1995, then the minister of Energy since 2019.[97][98] Faisal bin Salman is the governor of Madinah province.

His child from his second marriage with Sarah bint Faisal Al Subai'ai is Prince Saud. His children from his third marriage with Fahda bint Falah bin Sultan Al Hathleen[99] are Prince Mohammed, Prince Turki, Prince Khalid, Prince Nayif, Prince Bandar, and Prince Rakan.[100]

Prince Mohammad was his private adviser at the Ministry of Defense and at the Crown Prince Court.[101] He was appointed as the minister of defense and head of the royal court upon his father's accession to the throne in January 2015.[102] Turki bin Salman became the chairman of the Saudi Research and Marketing Group in February 2013, replacing his elder brother Faisal bin Salman.[103]

Salman was the closest brother to Crown Prince Sultan, having remained at his side during his constant illness and recovery in New York and Morocco, from 2008 to 2011.[20] Prince Sultan described him as "the prince of loyalty" in a letter sent to him.[104] Salman was also King Fahd's most trusted adviser during his reign.[105][106]

His legal counsel was William Jeffress Jr., of U.S.-based firm Baker Botts LLP, in a lawsuit filed by families of victims of the September 11 attacks from 2002 to 2010.[107]

In August 2010, Salman underwent spinal surgery in the United States and remained out of the kingdom for recovery.[108] He has had one stroke and despite receiving physiotherapy, his left arm does not work as well as his right.[109][110][111] Salman also suffers from mild dementia,[112] specifically Alzheimer's.[113]

U.S. intelligence officials believe that King Salman has been kept apart from his wife Princess Fahda bint Falah Al Hathleen for several years, on the orders of their son Prince Mohammad bin Salman.[114] He was reportedly concerned that she opposed his plans for a power grab that could divide the royal family, and might have tried to prevent it. The officials interviewed said the prince placed his mother under house arrest without the king's knowledge.

Salman received the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Al-Turath Charity Foundation in the field of urban heritage in 2013.[4] In 2017, Salman pledged US$15,000,000 for Rohingya Muslim refugees in Bangladesh.[115]

In July 2020, King Salman underwent successful gallbladder surgery.[116]

Honors

  •  Bahrain :
    • Collar of the Order of Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa (2016)[117]
  •  Bangladesh :
    • Collar of the Order of the Republic (2018)[118]
  •  Brunei :
    • Royal Family Order of the Crown of Brunei (D.K.M.B.) (2017)[119]
  •  Djibouti :
    • Grand Cordon of the Order of National Star of Djibouti (2015)[120]
  •  Egypt :
    • Collar of the Order of the Nile (2016)[121]
  •  Guinea :
    • Grand Cordon of the National Order of Merit (2015)[122]
  •  Indonesia :
    • First Class of the Star of the Republic of Indonesia (2017)[123]
  •  Japan :
    • Grand Cordon of the Order of the Chrysanthemum (2017)[124]
  •  Jordan :
    • Collar of the Order of Al-Hussein bin Ali (2017)[125]
  •  Kuwait :
    • Collar of the Order of Kuwait[126]
  •  Malaysia :
    • Honorary Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (P.M.N.) (1982)[127]
    • Recipient of the Most Exalted Order of the Crown of the Realm (D.M.N.) (2017)[127]
  •  Mexico :
    • Collar of the Order of the Aztec Eagle (2016)[128]
  •  Morocco :
    • Grand Cordon of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite (1987)[129]
    • Collar of the Order of Muhammad (2016)[130]
  •  Niger :
    • National Merit Medal (2015)[131]
  •  Pakistan :
    • First Class of the Nishan-e-Pakistan (2015)[132]
  •  Palestine :
    • Grand Collar of the State of Palestine (2015)[133]
  •  Senegal :
    • Grand Cordon of the National Order of Merit (1999)[129]
    • Grand Cross of the National Order of the Lion (2015)[134]
  •  Sierra Leone :
    • Collar of the Order of the Republic (2017)[135]
  •  South Africa :
    • Grand Cross of the Order of Good Hope (2016)[136]
  •  Spain :
    • Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit[137]
  •  Tunisia :
    • Grand Cordon of the Order of the Republic (2019)[138]
  •  Turkey :
    • Collar of the Order of the State of Republic of Turkey (2016)[139]
  •  Yemen :
    • Grand Cordon of the Order of the Republic (2001)[129]
  •  UAE :
    • Collar of the Order of Zayed (2016)[140]
  •  Ukraine :
    • Collar of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise (2017)[141]

See also

  • List of rulers of Saudi Arabia
  • List of things named after Saudi Kings
  • Succession to the Saudi Arabian throne

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Profile: New Saudi Defense Minister Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz". Asharq Alawsat. Archived from the original on 14 February 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  2. ^ "An Heir to the Kingdom: New Crown Prince Salman" (PDF). The Diplomat. 35: 8–11. July–August 2012.
  3. ^ Alexander Bligh. From Prince to King; Succession to the throne in Saudi Arabia. New York, New York University Press (1984). Arabic edition: Alexander Bligh. Min amir ila malik. London, D.A. Publications (1989).
  4. ^ a b "Crown Prince receives Lifetime Achievement Award in the field of Urban Heritage". National Built Heritage Forum. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  5. ^ "Arab Rulers' Academic Degrees, Majors at a Glance". Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  6. ^ a b "His royal highness Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz". Ministry of Interior. Archived from the original on 30 September 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  7. ^ a b "Ministers with portfolio". Saudi Embassy, Washington DC. Archived from the original on 7 June 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
  8. ^ a b c "Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz". PBS. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  9. ^ Joseph A. Kechichian. Succession in Saudi Arabia. New York: Palgrave, 2001. Print.
  10. ^ Here's Everything We Know About The New Saudi King Business Insider. 23 January 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  11. ^ Sharif M. Taha (5 May 2012). "Sharjah ruler among 18 to be honored by Prince Salyman". Arab News. Archived from the original on 9 May 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  12. ^ "In-Depth Study of King Faisal's Life Urged". Arab News. 11 May 2008. Archived from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
  13. ^ Giorgio Cafiero; Theodore Karasik (2017). "King Salman's Return to Brunei Two Decades Later". IndraStra Global (3): 5.
  14. ^ "الجولات الخارجية لسلمان.. دعم للعلاقات وتعزيز للرؤية السعودية". Al Madina. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  15. ^ "Jamal Khashoggi's long road to the doors of the Saudi Consulate". The Washington Post. 12 October 2018.
  16. ^ "Saudi Arabia names Prince Salman as new defence minister". BBC News. 5 November 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  17. ^ "The Allegiance Council". APS Diplomat News Service. 27 October 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
  18. ^ Talal Kapoor (2 July 2012). "Nayif's Passing – The Family Regroups". Datarabia. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
  19. ^ Amir Taheri (2012). "Saudi Arabia: Change Begins within the Family". The Journal of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy. 34 (3): 138–143. doi:10.1080/10803920.2012.686725. S2CID 154850947.
  20. ^ a b Basheer al Baker (3 November 2011). "Prince Sulayman Seeks Balance in Saudi Transitional Period". Al Akhbar. Retrieved 23 April 2012.[permanent dead link]
  21. ^ "Saudi Prince dead, Salman likely successor". Trade Arabia. 16 June 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  22. ^ "Al Saud move with speed to reconfigure top team after Nayef's death" (PDF). Gulf States Newsletter. 36 (926). 21 June 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  23. ^ "Saudis lead Middle East military spending". 14 April 2014. Al Jazeera. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
  24. ^ Neil Patrick (17 June 2012). "Saudi Arabia: Crown Prince's death raises succession questions". BBC. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  25. ^ David Roberts (19 June 2012). "Saudi Succession after the Death of Crown Prince Nayef". RUSI Analysis. Archived from the original on 5 June 2013.
  26. ^ a b Angus McDowall (18 June 2012). "Saudi appoints Prince Salman as crown prince". Reuters. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  27. ^ a b Abeer Allam (26 August 2012). "Saudi Arabia: In a restless realm". Financial Times. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  28. ^ "Crown prince in charge as Saudi king leaves on holiday". Reuters. Riyadh. 27 August 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  29. ^ "Saudi Crown Prince Salman launches Twitter account". Al Arabiya. 26 February 2013. Archived from the original on 26 February 2013. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
  30. ^ "Saudi- Authority to monitor audiovisual media". MEFAFN. Arab News. 4 September 2012. Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  31. ^ https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-succession/saudi-king-abdullah-dies-new-ruler-is-salman-idUSKBN0KV2RQ20150122
  32. ^ "Saudi Arabia's King Salman unveils cabinet reshuffle". BBC News. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  33. ^ "King Salman receives Prince Charles in Riyadh". Al Arabiya. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  34. ^ "Who's Who: Prince Mishaal bin Majed bin Abdul Aziz, adviser to King Salman". Arab News. 16 April 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  35. ^ Mohammad bin Nayef takes leading role in Saudi Arabia Gulf News. 17 February 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  36. ^ "Saudi-led coalition strikes rebels in Yemen, inflaming tensions in region". CNN. 27 March 2015.
  37. ^ Laura Kasinof. "How Yemen's Civil Conflict Turned Into a Regional Proxy War". The Nation.
  38. ^ "Yemen: Saudi-Led Airstrikes Used Cluster Munitions". Human Rights Watch. 3 May 2015.
  39. ^ Fanack. "A New Wind in Saudi Arabia". Fanack.com. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  40. ^ Angus McDowall; Sami Aboudi (29 April 2015). "Saudi king resets succession to cope with turbulent times". Reuters. Riyadh. Archived from the original on 14 May 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  41. ^ "Mohammed bin Salman named Saudi Arabia's crown prince". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 21 June 2017.
  42. ^ Nicole Chavez; Tamara Qiblawi; James Griffiths. "Saudi Arabia's king replaces nephew with son as heir to throne". CNN.
  43. ^ Transcript: Interview with Muhammad bin Salman Archived 9 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine The Economist, 6 January 2016.
  44. ^ "King Salman relief center implements 428 projects worth $1.7 bln". Al Arabiya. 26 June 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  45. ^ "King Salman Humanitarian aid agency treats 180,000 Syrian patients in Jordan". Arab News. 4 January 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  46. ^ "KSRelief inks cooperation deal with UNICEF". Arab News. 13 February 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  47. ^ "Saudi Arabia's relief center prosthetic limbs project benefits 1,839 Yemenis". Arab News. 24 February 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  48. ^ "KSRelief launches pilot project for female breadwinners in Yemen". Arab News. 7 March 2019. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  49. ^ "Saudi Arabia's aid agency takes steps to improve rehab projects". Arab News. 6 March 2019. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  50. ^ "KSrelief Holds Seminar on Children, Humanitarian Crisis, in Yemen, in Geneva The official Saudi Press Agency". www.spa.gov.sa. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  51. ^ "Saudi Arabia's KSRelief team discusses Yemen livelihood project". Arab News. 7 April 2019. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  52. ^ "KSRelief signs agreements for relief to Lebanese, Syrians and Palestinians". Arab News. 25 April 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  53. ^ "Father of Ali, Saudi teen slated for public execution, speaks out".
  54. ^ Zafar Gondal, "Analysis of court Judgment and conviction of Ali bin Mohammad bin Baqir Al-Nimr – Saudi Arabia", London, 15 December 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2015
  55. ^ "Saudi Arabia court gives death penalty to man who renounced his Muslim faith". The Daily Telegraph. 24 February 2015.
  56. ^ "Saudi court upholds blogger's 10 years and 1,000 lashes". BBC. 7 June 2015.
  57. ^ "Saudi Arabia scraps execution for those who committed crimes as minors: Commission". Reuters. 26 April 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  58. ^ "Saudi Arabia ends death penalty for crimes committed by minors". The Guardian. 27 April 2020. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  59. ^ Rosie Perper. "Saudi Arabia ends executions for individuals who committed crimes as minors as it tries to shape up its troubling human rights record". Business Insider. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  60. ^ Robert Tait and Peter Foster. (22 July 2015) "Saudi Arabia's King Salman backs Israel over Iran nuclear deal concerns". The Telegraph. Retrieved 22 July 2015. The Telegraph website
  61. ^ a b "Saudi execution of Shia cleric sparks outrage in Middle East". The Guardian. 2 January 2016.
  62. ^ "Saudi edges Qatar to control Syrian rebel support". Reuters. 31 May 2013
  63. ^ Kim Sengupta (12 May 2015). "Turkey and Saudi Arabia alarm the West by backing Islamist extremists the Americans had bombed in Syria". The Independent.
  64. ^ "Gulf allies and ‘Army of Conquest’". Al Ahram Weekly. 28 May 2015.
  65. ^ "'Army of Conquest' rebel alliance pressures Syria regime". Yahoo News. 28 April 2015.
  66. ^ Saudi king warns attacks on oil stations threaten global supply. The Guardian. 31 May 2019.
  67. ^ Saudi King Accuses Iran of Threatening Global Oil Supplies. Bloomberg. 30 May 2019.
  68. ^ Saudi king: Iran-backed groups threaten global oil supplies. DW. 1 June 2019.
  69. ^ "The who's who of Middle East leaders and their secret billions". Middle East Eye. 4 April 2016.
  70. ^ "A world tour of the politicians named in the Panama Papers". France 24. 5 April 2016.
  71. ^ "King Salman's reign sees largest structural reforms in history of Saudi Arabia". Al Arabiya. 2 June 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  72. ^ "FaceOf: Ahmed bin Suleiman Al-Rajhi, new minister of labor and social development". Arab News. 4 June 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  73. ^ a b Ahmed Al Omran (2 June 2018). "Saudi Arabia creates new departments in reshuffle". Financial Times. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  74. ^ "Saudi Arabia seeks ecotourism boost by protecting environment, wildlife". Arab News. 3 June 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  75. ^ a b c "Ideological and Ownership Trends in the Saudi Media". Wikileaks. 11 May 2009. Archived from the original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  76. ^ "9 Challenges Facing The New Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia". Alifarabia. 30 October 2011. Archived from the original on 22 November 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  77. ^ "Al-Faiz new editor in chief of Arab News". SRPC. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  78. ^ "Saudi succession issues" (PDF). GSN (Gulf States Newsletter). 16 January 2009. Retrieved 13 April 2012.[permanent dead link]
  79. ^ Kevin Sullivan (23 January 2015). "Before he was king, Salman was the family disciplinarian who put princes behind bars". The Washington Post. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  80. ^ a b Jean Charles Brisard (19 December 2002). "Terrorism financing. Roots and trends of Saudi terrorism financing" (PDF). Security Council, United Nations. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  81. ^ Gregg Carlstrom (16 June 2012). "Nayef's conservative policies to outlive him". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  82. ^ a b Gfoeller, Michael (1 April 2007). "Ambassador's farewell call on Riyadh Provincial Governor Prince Sulayman". WikiLeaks. ‹See Tfd›WikiLeaks cable: 07RIYADH651. Archived from the original on 1 January 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  83. ^ "Prince Sulayman Named Saudi 'Crown Prince'". Arab Times. Riyadh. 18 June 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  84. ^ Raf Sanchez (21 June 2017). "Who is Mohammed bin Salman, the 31-year-old future king of Saudi Arabia?". The Telegraph. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  85. ^ "Princess Sultana". Eugene Register Guard. 19 June 1983. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  86. ^ David D. Kirkpatrick (6 June 2015). "Surprising Saudi Rises as a Prince Among Princes". The New York Times. Riyadh. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
  87. ^ "Sultana, wife of Riyadh Emir, passes away". Saudi Gazette. 3 August 2011. Archived from the original on 28 December 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  88. ^ "Sultana bint Ahmad bin Muhammad al Sudairi". Datarabia. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  89. ^ "بالفيديو: الأمير "سلطان بن سلمان" يروي قصة زواج والده الملك سلمان من سلطانة بنت تركي السديري". Al Marsad (in Arabic). Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  90. ^ a b "Kingdom mourns loss of princess". The Siasat Daily. 3 August 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  91. ^ Bradley Hope; Justin Scheck (1 September 2020). Blood and Oil: Mohammed bin Salman's Ruthless Quest for Global Power. Hachette Books. p. 33. ISBN 978-0-306-84665-6.
  92. ^ "Death of a Generous man". The Telegraph. 25 July 2001. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
  93. ^ John R. Bradley (23 July 2002). "Prince Ahmed's cousin killed on way to funeral". USA Today. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  94. ^ "First Arab astronaut makes a royal tour of space". The Windsor Star. New York. 20 June 1985. pp. B12. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
  95. ^ "Saudi Space Commission". ssc.gov.sa. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  96. ^ "Curriculum Vitae". mt.gov.sa. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  97. ^ Faucon, Summer Said, Jared Malsin and Benoit. "Saudi Arabia Names New Energy Minister". WSJ. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  98. ^ "Saudi oil assistance to Pakistan proceeding slowly". Wikileaks. 30 July 2008. Archived from the original on 26 May 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  99. ^ Hugh Miles (23 October 2015). "Saudi Arabia: Eight of King Salman's 11 surviving brothers want to oust him". Independent. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  100. ^ "Family Tree of Salman bin Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud". Datarabia. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
  101. ^ "Prince Sultan arrives to Bahrain to attend Bahrain Grand Prix". Bahrain News Agency. 22 April 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  102. ^ "Saudi Prince Mohammad bin Salman named defense minister". Al Arabiya. 23 January 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  103. ^ "Prince Turki succeeds Prince Faisal as SRMG chairman". Arab News. 9 February 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  104. ^ "Late crown prince's letter shows his deep love toward Sulayman". Arab News. 26 December 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
  105. ^ Paul Michael Wihbey (1997). "Succession in Saudi Arabia: The not so silent struggle". IASPS Research Papers in Strategy (4).
  106. ^ Milton Viorst (January–February 1996). "The storm and the citadel". Foreign Affairs. 75 (1): 93–107. doi:10.2307/20047470. JSTOR 20047470.
  107. ^ "Representative Engagements". Baker Botts L.L.P. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
  108. ^ "King Sulayman bin Abdulaziz undergone successful surgery, Royal Court statement says". Gulf in the Media. 17 August 2010. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  109. ^ Simon Henderson (10 April 2012). "The Man Who Would Be King". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  110. ^ Simon Henderson (10 January 2013). "To Stop Iran, Get a New Saudi King". The Atlantic. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  111. ^ Next after next… The Economist (Cairo). 5 April 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  112. ^ David Ignatius (28 June 2016). "A 30-year-old Saudi prince could jump-start the kingdom — or drive it off a cliff". The Washington Post. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  113. ^ Hugh Miles (23 October 2015). "A family revolt could bring down the Saudi monarchy". Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  114. ^ "U.S. officials: Saudi crown prince has hidden his mother from his father, the king". NBC news. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  115. ^ "Saudi Arabia Pledges $15 Million to Aid Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar". einnews.com. 20 September 2017.
  116. ^ "Saudi Arabia's King Salman has successful gallbladder surgery". Al Jazeera. 7 July 2020.
  117. ^ "Saudi King Salman begins official visit to Bahrain".
  118. ^ "Saudi King Salman receives Bangladesh PM, holds lunch in her honor".
  119. ^ "Berkenan menerima kunjungan muhibah Kebawah DYMM Raja Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud". Pelita Brunei (in Malay). 4 March 2017. Archived from the original on 4 February 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  120. ^ "King Salman holds talks with Djibouti leader".
  121. ^ "Egypt's Sisi awards Saudi King Salman 'Order of the Nile' honour".
  122. ^ "Top Guinea medal for King".
  123. ^ "Saudi King Salman increases Indonesia's haj quota".
  124. ^ "King Salman to hold talks with Japanese premier today".
  125. ^ "Saudi Arabia's King Salman receives Jordan's highest award".
  126. ^ "Kuwaiti Crown Prince hosts banquet in honor of King Salman".
  127. ^ a b "Semakan Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat".
  128. ^ "Mexico eyes Gulf investment funds".
  129. ^ a b c "A New King for Saudi Arabia: H.E. King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud".
  130. ^ "Saudi Arabia's King Salman Arrives in Morocco".
  131. ^ "King Salman, Niger president discuss ties". 11 May 2015. The visiting president decorated King Salman with the National Merit Medal, the highest medal of his country.
  132. ^ "Nawaz Sharif holds talks with Saudi King Salman".
  133. ^ "Mahmoud Abbas and King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud".
  134. ^ "Macky Sall reçu et décoré par le Roi Salman d'Arabie Saoudite".
  135. ^ "King Salman awarded medal of honor".
  136. ^ "Saudi Arabia's King Salman Holds Official Talks With South Africa's Zuma".
  137. ^ "Otras disposiciones".
  138. ^ "King Salman, Tunisian president hold talks, oversee signing of two deals & confer medals".
  139. ^ "Colloqui ufficiali tra il Custode delle Due Sacre Moschee e il Presidente Erdogan, nel corso della visita di Stato di Re Salman in Turchia".
  140. ^ "King starts Gulf tour with UAE visit".
  141. ^ "Riyadh, Kiev cement relations with President Poroshenko's Saudi visit".

External links

  • "Shifting Sands and the Gulf" on Sulayman's transition as King
  • "King Salman Royal Profile" by Royal Families of the World