Wednesday 10 February 2010 (25 Safar 1431)

Introduction

 This year marks the 20th anniversary of the accession to the throne of  Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd ibn Abdul Aziz. His reign has been an arduous one. At home, his efforts have been focused on the incessant implementation of development plans. Abroad, he has taken up the mantle of Arab leadership, stressing the importance of Arab and Islamic solidarity.

Saudi Arabia’s standing in the Arab world carries responsibilities that it does not take lightly. As home to the two holiest sites in Islam — the Haram Mosque in Makkah and the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s Mosque in Madinah, it is viewed with great respect by Muslims the world over. But the Kingdom is also the world’s largest oil producer and exporter, holding the world’s largest oil reserves. During his reign, King Fahd has worked persistently to ensure the stability of oil prices and production; these are crucial to the prosperity of all the world’s economies.

On the international stage, the king has followed the policies of his father, the late King Abdul Aziz — that of non-interference in the affairs of other countries. However, this principle has not prevented him from working to achieve regional stability and nor has it dimmed his attachment to Arab ideals and his belief that other Arab states should be attached to them as well.

Inevitably, as a country with many neighbors, Saudi Arabia has always been keen to resolve outstanding border issues with them. It pushed for rapprochement with Iran. It has been the main supporter of the Palestinian cause advocating the return of the Israeli-occupied territories of the West Bank captured in the June 1967 war. King Fahd has personally been in the vanguard of those who desired to alleviate the sufferings of the Arabs in the occupied territories. Last year alone, hundreds of seriously injured Palestinians were treated in the Kingdom’s hospitals under instructions from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.

Saudi Arabia has never shirked its wider international duties. Diplomacy is second nature to the king and there are regular meetings with foreign leaders from all over the world and the Kingdom takes an active lead in many high-level conferences. At all of these, the king’s view — that justice and human rights are needed for the Palestinian people — are always emphasized. It can be said that in part it is through the king’s constant efforts that the Palestinian cause has now achieved global recognition and it is now understood that peace in the Middle East will never be a reality unless the Palestinians are treated in a fair and equitable manner.

For the past 20 years the king has defied the odds to achieve his goals. He came to the throne when Lebanon was under siege, Iraq and Iran War was in full swing, Afghanistan was being blown apart by the Soviets and the world economy was in a downward spiral. And yet he steered Saudi Arabia toward safety while playing a pivotal role in international affairs. It was his astute diplomacy that saw Saudi Arabia become a stabilizing factor, without involving itself directly in regional disputes. What he did was make Saudi Arabia an “honest broker.”

At home, he is committed to a program of economic reforms that include greater transparency and he has begun introducing social reforms that allow more public participation in the political process. The Shoura or Consultative Council has now been increased from 90 to 120 members. High on the domestic agenda is a drive to increase economic growth, create more jobs and find roles for all citizens in the nation’s future development.  In the light of this Saudi Arabia believes that regional stability, foreign investment and the adoption of high-technologies are a must.

Meanwhile, government services are gradually being privatized — although not with the momentum that many economists desire. This is because the Saudi government has to balance all economic decisions in ways that will not negatively impact on the welfare of its  citizens, particularly the less privileged. But the last two years have witnessed an improvement in the Kingdom’s economy and this has given a boost to local development. After persistent budget deficits in the 1990s, the oil price recovery produced a fiscal surplus and the government has proved prudent in its spending. Debts have been paid and additional funds allocated for public services, especially education. This latter is particularly close to the king’s heart.  Back in 1953, he was the Kingdom’s first minister of education and it remains one of his primary passions. Saudi Arabia has a very young population; 57 percent of its nationals are under 20 years of age. Last year there were more than 4.5 million male and female students in the Kingdom, all studying at government expense.

In addition to improving the well-being of his people, King Fahd in his role as the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques has funded the largest ever expansion of the Grand Mosque in Makkah Al Mukarramah and the Holy Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah Al Munawwarah. Billions of riyals have also been spent to improve the facilities and services for the millions of pilgrims who visit the Kingdom annually to perform Haj. While caring for Muslim visitors to the Kingdom has been paramount, Saudi Arabia has not hesitated to reach out to the Islamic community across the globe. Under the king’s direction, Islamic centers, institutes, colleges and mosques have been built throughout the world to enlighten Muslims on their religion and to bring the word of Islam to new believers.

Perhaps what is most remarkable about the reign of King Fahd is that the development of Saudi Arabia has progressed without any compromise to its deep-rooted Islamic values. Built on the strong foundations laid by King Abdul Aziz ibn Abdul Rahman Al Saud, the founder of Saudi Arabia, King Fahd has led the nation through a period of unparalleled growth and prosperity. Wisdom, moderation and vision have allowed this wise leader to enhance the position of the Kingdom and increase its influence internationally. In the process he has created a legacy by which all future Arab leaders will be measured.

Khaled Al-Maeena

Editor in Chief, Arab News

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