King Salman’s vision to usher in a new era

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman set out his vision in his first major policy speech that touched on all aspects of Kingdom's policy.
He was speaking to an audience of senior princes, ministers, governors, Shoura Council members, top military commanders, the Grand Mufti with other Islamic scholars, top editors and dignitaries.
Though his speech covered all areas of government policy, his core message was that Saudis should stand united in the face of the many challenges that confronted the Kingdom. He reaffirmed his wish to take on and deal with the causes of differences and division which could harm national unity. And he said that all citizens had the same rights and the same duties. He stressed that there would be no discrimination between citizens, nor between regions. King Salman said he was committing himself to work to ensure justice for all citizens. He wanted to give them the opportunity to realize their dreams and aspirations. He emphasized this point by saying that he was “deeply concerned about every citizen in the country and every part of our beloved nation and all of them will receive my care and support.”
To this end the king reminded ministers and government officials that they had been given their jobs so that they could serve citizens. To ensure that this was indeed happening, he said that the systems that monitor the performance of government and the governmental machine below it should be reviewed. They should be strengthened. They should become more efficient and effective so that they could fight corruption, protect the public wealth and punish wrongdoers.
Just as King Salman had spoken about the need to protect the rights of citizens, he went on to speak of their duties. In particular, he said that every citizen bore a great responsibility in safeguarding the country’s security and stability. The Kingdom’s security forces were singled out for praise for confronting the terrorists who sought to target the nation, its people and key installations. But he went on to reiterate that security went beyond the forces of law and order. Security was the responsibility of all citizens and all residents in Saudi Arabia. Everyone should be alert. Everyone should be vigilant. No one would be allowed to tamper with the Kingdom’s stability by seeking to undermine its security.
Inevitably, the king focused on the economy. The challenges of sharply weakened oil prices were very real and had to be addressed. But his approach was notable for its pragmatism. There was one area where the king set out a clear and unbending policy. The prosperity of Saudi citizens had to be protected. It had indeed to be boosted. Not only did people need the assurance of affordable homes; they also needed to be benefiting from a strong economy.
Here, King Salman, committed himself to the diversification of the sources of the Kingdom’s wealth. The need to develop a buoyant and vigorous non-oil economy remained essential. Though the Kingdom boasts large world-class companies, the genius of the economy remains small and medium-sized enterprises. It is these firms that dominate the private sector and play a proportionately important role in the creation of wealth.
The king made a special point of recognizing the contribution of SMEs. He vowed to continue his support for this crucial sector. He wanted SMEs to prosper and achieve substantial growth. He described businessmen and women as “partners in progress” with the state. Growing their own activities and profits created a strong economic base that would help support an increasing number of citizens. King Salman pointed out that the government had already given the private sector many facilities and incentives. In return, the state expected a lot from the private sector.
SMEs had to create new jobs and spread prosperity, said King Salman. It was the joint responsibility of the public and private sectors to find jobs for Saudi citizens. It was equally the responsibility of the education system to produce graduates who are properly qualified to meet the country’s development needs. They should be able to take up the jobs that needed to be done.
The Kingdom invests in its young people as the most valuable resource in the maintenance of a successful economy. This is a continuation of the longstanding policy of modernization. The challenge remains to ensure that the jobs that are created are productive, in that they contribute to continued growth.