JEDDAH, 5 July 2004 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd has reshuffled the Supreme Economic Council and increased membership by one, the Saudi Press Agency reported yesterday.
Crown Prince Abdullah remains the council’s chairman, with Second Deputy Premier Prince Sultan as deputy chairman under a royal decree.
The other members are Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Khuwaiter, state minister, Dr. Mutlib Al-Nafeesah, state minister, the ministers of commerce and industry, petroleum and mineral resources, finance, planning, State Minister Abdullah Zainal, the minister of water and electricity and the governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency.
The council was first set up in 1999 with 11 members to make major policy decisions and meet the demands of international economic developments. It was welcomed by economists and businessmen as a serious step toward vital economic reform and a means for promoting the Kingdom’s economic development.
A royal decree also named Dr. Muhammad Saleh Bantan chairman of the Saudi Postal Service.
