AL-JOUF, 11 May 2007 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah said that the Kingdom will have to struggle hard to build an ideal welfare state.
“We have to wage battles to build an ideal welfare state where nobody is in want, a land of justice and moderation far removed from hatred and extremism...Clinging firmly to our religion of tolerance seeking help from the Almighty alone.... Without any tribal or regional fanaticism that is against the values of the religion,” said Abdullah, while unveiling his vision of the Kingdom to the people of Al-Jouf on Wednesday evening in the northern city of Sakaka.
The king set out on a tour of the north on Monday, underscoring the government’s determination to achieve balanced growth for all regions of the Kingdom. He launched a host of projects at an approximate cost of SR6 billion in the northern border region before he arrived in Al-Jouf. Included among the projects was the Northern Border University.
Shedding light on the added significance of the Al-Jouf region, Abdullah said it had witnessed important historical events since time immemorial. The king underscored the pivotal role played by the region in the modern history by unwaveringly rallying round the rulers of the first Saudi state and later in the second Saudi era when the region announced its absolute support for King Abdul Aziz, the founder of the Kingdom. He also reiterated the importance of closing ranks and abandoning all kinds of disunity.
Accompanied by Crown Prince Sultan, Abdullah yesterday evening opened a number of development projects in Al-Jouf. The projects are being established under a number of ministries such as the Ministry of Municipality and Rural Affairs; the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowment, Call and Guidance; the Ministry of Higher Education; the Ministry of Commerce and Industry; the Ministry of Finance; the Ministry of Transport; the Ministry of Health; the Ministry of Water and Electricity; and the Ministry of Education.
The king also inaugurated projects for the King Abdullah Foundation for Developmental Housing, the General Organization for Technical Education and Vocational Training, the General Organization for Social Insurance, the Disabled Children’s Association, the Suleiman Al-Rajhi Charitable Foundation and Al-Jouf Cement Co.
Before the opening of the projects, ministers and officials briefed the king and the crown prince about them with the help of replicas. The king also examined the design and route of a new railroad to be constructed by the Ministry of Finance.
Al-Jouf Gov. Prince Fahd ibn Badr, who attended the functions, said the people of the region had been looking forward to the royal visit for a long time.
Sakaka, the main city of Al-Jouf, is a hub of agricultural activities with vast potential for investments. The region produces a third of the Kingdom’s wheat crop, according to official figures. There are four million olive trees in the region, producing 3,000 tons of olive oil.
The region also produces 84,000 tons of vegetables annually. The place is rich in raw materials essential for the glass industry, red bricks and cement. The area also offers tourism potentials as there are quite a few historical and heritage sites.
The new projects opened by the king include Al-Jouf University, a college of science, a medical college, several schools for boys and girls and a number of technical colleges and vocational training centers.
The higher education sector alone gets 11 new projects worth SR1.33 billion. Other projects are: 206 school projects, 10 technical institutes and vocational training centers, 19 health projects, municipal projects, a railroad project to exploit minerals in the Jelamaid region, three mosques, seven road projects, eight electricity projects, three water projects, Al-Jouf Cement Factory, an investment project for Disabled Children’s Association, and the first phase of a low-cost housing project.
Tabuk, which is the next stop in the royal visit, has been decked up and festooned to welcome King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan. Several tribal groups have pitched tents, with their pageants of horses and camels and folk art displays and poetry recitations close to the King Khaled Sports City to welcome the king and the crown prince.
