However, several citizens have complained about the bad experiences they have had with certain Saudi embassies abroad, Al-Riyadh daily reports. Fortunately, they appear to be in the minority.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has since stressed the need for offering the best possible consular and diplomatic services to Saudi citizens visiting foreign countries.
Addressing the second meeting of ambassadors and heads of Saudi diplomatic missions as well as undersecretaries of the Foreign Ministry, the king said Saudi missions must always be open for citizens who need help for whatever reason.
“You should realize that any citizen approaching you is part of Saudi society, and that he is like your brother or son,” he said. “Give them due consideration and respect. I happened to hear that some of the embassies shut their doors on citizens. This will never be tolerated. You should open your doors and your hearts to them and be gentle in your manners.”
The king’s speech reflects his vision of Saudi embassies abroad, besides reemphasizing the need that they must shed any unhelpful attitudes they have displayed in the past.
There are mixed reactions from Saudi citizens about the conduct of diplomatic missions abroad.
A number of Saudis are happy with the conduct of these missions while others are not. Also, some of them say that they had better treatment from embassies in European countries than that of embassies in the Arab world.
Anyhow, it is obvious that there is a growing gap in relations between citizens and Saudi diplomatic missions abroad that risk damaging the Kingdom’s image.
Many citizens pointed out that they faced several problems during their stay in foreign countries, with some of them adding that the local diplomatic missions did not help them adequately.
They said they had been victims of robbery, cheating and fraud, while others claimed they had been taken into custody either due to their ignorance or failure to adhere to rules and regulations of the country they were visiting.
There were occasions when they were in dire need of financial assistance and legal aid, and in most cases the embassies endeavored to do whatever they could.
However, this was not the case with some of the missions. There were situations where citizens lost faith in them.
A young Saudi man complained that the local embassy did nothing to release him after he was taken into custody for breaking the law of the country he was visiting. He added that the embassy refused to help appoint a lawyer for him.
Fellow Saudi citizen Salman Al-Talaan said there was an explosion at the hotel he was staying at while he was abroad.
“I saw a large number of security men surrounding the hotel. I then contacted the embassy to find out what happened, and also asked their help in facilitating a safe exit from the hotel,” he said.
“However, the embassy official refused to give me any information and did nothing to help me get out of the hotel premises.”
He noted that the embassy official did not even help him to at least contact his relatives back in the Kingdom as he had no international call facility at the hotel at the time.
“For this, the official’s reply was that they also did not have the facility,” he said, adding that he then contacted his relatives with the help of some friends who were in the same country as him.
Miteb Al-Shamri, a Saudi studying in Australia, says his efforts to find out about fellow citizens studying in the neighborhood were fruitless during his three-year stay. “I contacted the embassy and asked them to give me details of other Saudis studying in the same area,” he said.
“I was surprised to learn that the embassy does not have a list of students or their phone numbers,” he said, calling on the embassies to play a vital role in establishing a network of Saudis living in a particular country.
Al-Shamri also drew attention to the fact that there has been no intervention from the mission to help Saudis who were victims of exploitation, especially from owners of residential apartments and their agents.
“I have lost at least SR8,000 thanks to one dishonest apartment owner. I filed a complaint with the embassy seeking their help in the matter, but nothing had happened. It was revealed to me after six months that no action was taken,” he said.
Saudi student Matshar Al-Anzi agrees that there is no rapport existing between the embassy and Saudi students.
On the other hand, most businessmen are generally happy with the conduct of Saudi missions abroad.
Saleh Al-Turki, former chairman of the Saudi Council of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said Saudi embassies in the European countries are doing an excellent job as far as the business community is concerned.
“The relations between the council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are excellent. Quite naturally, Saudi businessmen enjoy the fruits of this good relationship while they are on foreign trips,” he said.
Ibrahim Afandi, another businessman, also expressed happiness over the functioning of Saudi embassies in Asia, Europe and Americas.
However, fellow businessman Rashid Al-Sowaikat underlined the need for enhanced coordination between the business community and foreign missions to serve both the interests of the government and businessmen.
“Businessmen face some problems due to lack of better coordination between the two sides,” he said, calling on the Council of Chambers to take action.
