RIYADH, 7 February 2003 — The Kingdom unveiled yesterday a “national plan to deal with poverty” and set up a special fund to assist its poorer citizens.
Speaking on Saudi Television, Labor and Social Affairs Minister Ali Al-Namlah said the plan was aimed at eliminating poverty from Saudi society “through unconventional ways.”
The move came after Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, made an unprecedented visit in November to a number of Riyadh’s impoverished neighbourhoods. Namlah provided no figures on the number of poor in the Kingdom, but conceded that some Saudi families were living under the poverty line.
A multidisciplinary team has been set up to devise a “national strategy” to fight poverty, Namlah said, adding that it was given two years to complete the plan and create a comprehensive database on poverty. The team is comprised of representatives from the ministries of finance, interior, planning and social affairs in addition to charity organizations and the private sector.
