DHAHRAN, 13 October — Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, began a six-day inspection tour of the Eastern Province yesterday.
He attended a graduation ceremony at the Institute of Technical Studies here yesterday when more than 1,700 air force technicians received their degrees and certificates. Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, other princes and top officials attended the function.
The convocation marked the passing out of the institute’s 95th to 98th batches including officers from Bahrain and Qatar. Chief of Staff Gen. Saleh Al-Mahya and Commander of the Air Force Lt. Gen. Abdul Aziz Al-Henaidy were present.
Lt. Gen. Khaled Rafie, commander of the institute, earlier welcomed the crown prince and other dignitaries. Highlighting the institute’s remarkable role in the air force, he said it trains Saudis on maintenance of fighter aircraft and their support systems.
Prince Abdullah and his entourage later witnessed a military parade by the institute’s graduates. Students also presented a taekwondo show.
Earlier on arrival, Prince Abdullah was greeted at the airport by a large number of princes and top officials including Prince Sultan, Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed and Eastern Province Governor Prince Mohammed ibn Fahd.
Prince Saud ibn Abdullah, chairman of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, said the crown prince will open new industrial projects worth SR30 billion in the Jubail Industrial City today.
Speaking to Al-Watan daily, the prince said the twin giant industrial cities in Jubail and Yanbu have attracted 30 percent of the entire foreign investments in the country.
“The two industrial cities have also contributed to increasing Saudi Arabia’s share in global petrochemical market to 57 percent,” he said. The Royal Commission also provides 86,000 jobs at its various industrial units.
Prince Abdullah will open a number of SABIC projects in Jubail and lay the foundation stone for Jubail Technical Institute and the expansion project of King Fahd Industrial Port.
He is scheduled to open a large number of projects in the region including the Hawiya gas plant, King Abdul Aziz Military City, a 300-bed King Abdul Aziz Hospital in Al-Ahsa and a 100-bed hospital in Dammam.
Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Dukhayyil, rector of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, said Prince Abdullah will lay the foundation for three vital university projects. Speaking to Okaz daily, he commended the Japanese and Britons for their cooperation with KFUPM's research programs. "We have not received such a cooperation from the Americans despite the presence of a large number of giant US companies in the Kingdom," he added.
