JEDDAH, 17 October 2003 — Today marks the 22nd anniversary of the accession to the throne by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd. Over this period, the Kingdom has witnessed far-reaching changes encompassing almost every aspect of Saudi life.
In a report outlining the achievements of King Fahd, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said they helped transform the Kingdom and shape its destiny. The king worked to build a nation based on modern institutions starting with the declaration 12 years ago of the basic government and regional systems that include the formation of the 60-member Shoura Council and extending to the announcement last week that half the members of municipal councils will be elected by popular vote.
New specialized bodies have been formed including the Supreme Council for Petroleum and Minerals headed by King Fahd, the Supreme Economic Council headed by Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, the Supreme Commission for Tourism headed by Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, as well as the General Investment Authority and the Human Resources Development Fund. The Kingdom also started a privatization process aimed at allowing the private sector to play a more active role in the economic process.
These achievements also included the restructuring of social institutions. A landmark declaration a few months ago was the formation of a forum for national dialogue known as King Abdul Aziz Center for National Dialogue to foster discussion among all sectors of Saudi society and forge a common vision for the country.
In his address to the Shoura Council, the king stressed that the government is keen to subject the country’s internal affairs to constant revision and refuted claims that the drive toward reform came in response to external pressures.
The Kingdom’s unique position in the Muslim world as the cradle of Islam and protector of Islam’s two holiest shrines, obliges the Saudi people to serve the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah which two million Muslim pilgrims visit during the annual Haj. It was during the reign of King Fahd that the two holy mosques witnessed the largest and most expensive expansion ever undertaken in their history — at a cost of some SR70 billion.
The Kingdom’s position as the world’s largest oil producing country puts it first among Middle Eastern countries and makes it the largest donor to the region’s developing countries as well as to African and Asian Muslim states. Saudi Arabia is now an influential member of the Arab League, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the United Nations.
What Saudi Arabia was able to achieve in a few years in economic and social development took other countries decades to accomplish. Revenues from oil provided the financial resources to implement a growth in development that is more rapid and wide-ranging.
The number of students now stand at 5.3 million served by 435,000 teachers. The country has eight universities with more private colleges being planned.
There are 25 international and domestic airports serving 28 million passengers annually. By 2001 the country had 4.6 million telephone landlines in addition to 4.4 million mobile phone subscribers. Being a desert country, the Kingdom depends on desalination, with 30 plants being built on the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf producing more than 944 million cubic meters serving some 40 cities, towns and villages. Saudi Arabian products, manufactured in 3,583 factories employing 320,000 workers, are now exported to countries all over the world.
