RIYADH: Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday was elevated to the position of crown prince and deputy prime minister, and will maintain his post as minister of defense.
Born on Aug. 31, 1985, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the son of King Salman, received his education at Riyadh schools where he ranked among the top 10 students in his class. He received his bachelor’s degree in law from King Saud University (KSU), where he graduated second in his class.
Prince Mohammed gained international experience in corporate governance and international finance. He began his political career as a consultant to the Experts Commission under the Saudi Cabinet.
On Dec. 15, 2009, Prince Mohammed bin Salman was appointed special adviser to then-Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz, who at the time was governor of Riyadh province.
He was also a special adviser to the chairman of the board for the King Abdul Aziz Foundation for Research and Archives (Darah), and then became supervisor of the crown prince’s office.
In March 2013, by royal decree, Prince Mohammed was appointed head of the crown prince’s court with the rank of minister and special adviser to then-Crown Prince Salman. On April 25, 2014, he was appointed as a state minister and member of the Cabinet.
His long history of philanthropic initiatives earned him many awards. In 2011, he established the Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Foundation (MiSK), which enables young Saudis to learn, develop and progress in the fields of business, literature, culture, science and technology, and sociology.
Following the demise of King Abdullah in 2015, King Salman ascended to the throne and appointed Prince Mohammed as deputy crown prince, second deputy premier and minister of defense. He has also served as chief of the Royal Court, and chairs the powerful Council for Economic and Development Affairs.
Last year, the crown prince moved into what he described as his most important role: Transforming the Kingdom’s economy and reducing its dependence on oil revenues.
On April 25, 2016, the Saudi government unveiled Vision 2030, including a series of developmental, economic and social programs. The same day, Al Arabiya News Channel aired an exclusive interview with Prince Mohammed. During the interview, the crown prince pledged to end the Saudi economy’s dependence on oil revenues by 2020. Prince Mohammed also discussed measures to lift subsidies on the Kingdom’s wealthy citizens and assist the country’s poor.
The measures, as part of Vision 2030, will be implemented on everyone, “including princes and government ministers,” Prince Mohammed said. “This is a promise.”
In an interview with prominent news outlet Bloomberg earlier in April 2016, Prince Mohammed discussed the Kingdom’s soon-to-be unveiled National Transformation Plan (NTP) 2020, part of Vision 2030.
At the time, he told Bloomberg that the Kingdom would dramatically expand its Public Investment Fund, a sovereign wealth fund, to reach around $2 trillion in assets. The sale of around 5 percent of Saudi Aramco’s shares would be placed into the fund, he added. “What is left now is to diversify investments,” he said. “So, within 20 years, we will be an economy or state that doesn’t depend mainly on oil.”
In a second, even longer interview with Bloomberg later that month, Prince Mohammed further expanded on his plans to transform the Kingdom’s economy. The interview also highlighted the prince’s personal life — his long hours, fluency in English, love of reading books by Sun Tzu and Winston Churchill, and his choice to have just one wife.
The crown prince has represented King Salman abroad, traveling to Beijing, Moscow and Washington, where he met President Donald Trump in March.
In an interview with Al Arabiya, former US President Barack Obama described him as “extremely knowledgeable, very smart” and “wise beyond his years.”
Last year, Prince Mohammed visited Silicon Valley to sell his vision of market-oriented reforms and a transformation of the Kingdom’s economy and society.
In recent years, Prince Mohammed has become the government’s face of reform, modernization and change. In the Kingdom, where around 60 percent of the population is under 30, the young crown prince is widely seen as an icon in the push toward socio-economic reforms.
Profile: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
Profile: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
Project to save Historic Jeddah buildings completed thanks to SR50m from Saudi crown prince
- The work on the ‘architecturally important’ structures was carried out as part of the Ministry of Culture’s Historic Jeddah restoration program
- Many buildings and sites in the district are being restored to help preserve and illustrate the history of the Hajj since the dawn of Islam
RIYADH: Several historic buildings in Jeddah that were on the verge of collapse have been saved thanks to a Ministry of Culture project personally funded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.
The ministry said the work on the “architecturally important” structures was carried out as part of its Historic Jeddah restoration program. The funding for the project included a personal donation of SR50 million ($13.3 million) from the crown prince, officials said.
The Historic Jeddah district contains more than 600 buildings, including 36 mosques, as well as five marketplace sites, ancient squares, and other locations of historical importance, such as the Waterfront, that were vital stopping-off points for Muslim pilgrims in days gone by. Many are being restored and renovated to help preserve and illustrate the history of the Hajj since the dawn of Islam.
Based on directives from the crown prince, the restoration work was carried out by five specialist companies based in Saudi Arabia, officials said, under the supervision of technicians experienced in the preservation of historic buildings. Special care was taken to maintain the unique design and distinctive urban characteristics of the district, they added.
Some of the buildings that were saved, which belong to Jeddah families, have archaeological features dating back as far as 500 years.
Saudi Arabia to be guest of honor at Beijing Book Fair
BEIJING: The Saudi Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission and the China National Publications Import and Export Group Corporation have signed a contract to host Saudi Arabia as the guest of honor at the Beijing International Book Fair, to be held this year between June 19 and 23 in the Chinese capital.
The signing ceremony was attended by Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission CEO Dr. Mohammed Hasan Alwan, and officials from the Chinese side.
Saudi participation in the fair is astep toward strengthening cultural exchange, boosting cooperation in literature, culture, and the arts, and promoting dialogue and boosting friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
Several other Saudi entities will participate in the fair to highlight the heritage, knowledge, and cultural diversity of the Kingdom through a diverse cultural program, including seminars, dialogue sessions, workshops, and artistic performances.
The Kingdom was the guest of honor at the New Delhi International Book Fair, held between Feb. 10 and 18; and will be the guest of honor, after Beijing, at the Seoul International Book Fair, from June 26 to 30, 2024.
Saudi Green Initiative in Makkah aims to promote sustainable development, afforestation
RIYADH: The State Properties General Authority has provided the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, and the Alahyaa Centers Association with seedlings produced at its agricultural nursery in Makkah.
The contribution is part of the authority’s efforts to support sustainable development and afforestation while upgrading the vegetation cover, and took place on Saudi Green Initiative Day on March 27.
Schemes include building and operating an agricultural nursery and equipping it with the newest systems to enhance production capacity and create an enabling environment for plant growth.
The project has led to the creation of 110,000 square meters of green spaces within the authority’s government compounds in Makkah, in addition to the distribution of plants, large trees and shrubs to more than 40 government entities.
The authority said that the nursery’s annual production includes 1.2 million plants that bloom in winter and in summer; 200,000 perennials and vines; 20,000 outdoor trees; 30,000 shrubs; and 5,000 indoor plants.
Saudi, Azerbaijani ministers discussed climate action cooperation
Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman met in Jeddah Mukhtar Babayev, Azerbaijan’s minister of ecology and natural resources, and also president of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN’s Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The COP29 Conference takes place in November in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The two ministers discussed opportunities for cooperation in the field of climate action. They also spoke about working together to achieve the goals and principles of the UN’s Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the Paris Agreement.
The parties also looked at the Kingdom’s efforts and initiatives to address the effects of climate change.
Saudi Arabia announces cultural cooperation award with China
- The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Award for Cultural Cooperation culminate in an annual ceremony honoring the two countries’ shared cultural talent
RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Culture announced on Thursday the launch of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Award for Cultural Cooperation between Saudi Arabia and China, at the King Abdulaziz Public Library branch in Beijing, Saudi Press Agency reported.
This award aims to acknowledge the efforts of researchers, artists and translators from both countries, offering grants to support their continuing work. It is designed to spur enhanced collaboration and shared creative efforts.
The award includes several categories — cultural research and studies, artistic and creative works, translations, and a cultural personality of the year from each country, recognizing significant contributions to culture.
Additional categories target young researchers, creators and translators, encouraging youth engagement in cross-cultural communication. An annual ceremony will highlight the cultural achievements and award winners.
The award will promote creative cooperation and cultural dialogue between Saudi Arabia and China by highlighting the two countries’ achievements in the academic, cultural, media, literary and artistic communities.
It will culminate in an annual ceremony honoring the two countries’ shared cultural talent and announcing the winners in each category.
Saudi Culture Minister Prince Bader bin Abdullah said that the award was a critical component in bridging cultural divides and strengthening ties between China and Saudi Arabia through the arts, literature and academic research.
Individuals from Saudi Arabia and China, as well as government, private and non-profit institutions, may submit nominations. They can be submitted by filling out the nomination form, which will be posted on the award website.
On the same day, the Saudi Film Commission, a government body under the culture ministry, signed a framework memorandum of understanding with China’s Bona Film Group to explore collaborative opportunities in movie distribution, exhibition and talent development.
Bona Film Group, founded in 1999, has emerged as one of China’s leading movie distribution and production companies.
The signing ceremony in Beijing was attended by Prince Badr, Film Commission CEO Abdullah Al-Eyaf, and Bona Film Group CFO Qi Zhi.
The MoU outlines key areas of cooperation, such as investment in the film industry, the possibility of establishing a joint film fund dedicated to cinematic endeavors, and collaboration on Saudi film distribution in China. It also looks into talent development opportunities for Saudi filmmakers through Bona Film Group productions and Chinese film education institutions.
In accordance with this agreement, the Film Commission intends to develop the movie industry, improve local production and showcase Saudi productions. The commission also promotes investment, content production, talent development and regulatory frameworks.
The historic agreement reflects the commission’s commitment to fostering global partnerships and leveraging cultural exchanges as a key component of Saudi Vision 2030 objectives.