"While addressing members of the Shoura Council, the king will outline the government’s domestic and foreign policies and also convey a message to the nation," Al-Asheikh said on Tuesday, describing the visit as an important annual event that boosts the morale of council members and the nation for the greater good of the country.
According to the council’s president, members are excited about the king's visit as he would express the Kingdom's stand on local, regional and international issues connected to the Arab world.
"The members will be guided by the king's speech in all future matters," he stressed, adding that the speech would provide a platform of action for the council and pave the way for members to achieve more.
Al-Asheikh said the council’s aims, objectives and functions are based on Islamic law. "It has established healthy social, cultural and political relations with several friendly countries through their respective parliaments."
The council has successfully moved 154 resolutions during the current session, a record compared to previous sessions.
"These resolutions were pertaining to various regulations and acts, annual reports of government and nongovernmental organizations, and the Kingdom’s conventions and agreements with other countries," Al-Asheikh said.
After the Kingdom achieved enormous progress in development, the late King Fahd issued decrees to update all major laws in the country.
In his historic speech in November 2000, King Fahd introduced three major laws, including the Basic Law of Governance, the Provincial Councils' Law and the Shoura Council Law, which essentially provided the foundations for the council in its current form.
The modernization of the Shoura Council involved updating its framework, methods, and means and making it more efficient and organized.
This was to ensure the council could cope with the rapid developments the country has seen in recent years in all fields, and to keep pace with the demands and requirements of modern times. This started a new chapter in the long history of Shoura in the Kingdom.
King Fahd launched the council’s first term with a speaker and 60 members. In the second term, the council consisted of a speaker and 90 members. In the third term, the council included a speaker and 120 members. In the fourth term, the council consisted of a speaker and 150 members. The council comprises distinguished scholars from various disciplines.
King Abdullah, as crown prince before ascending the throne after King Fahd's death in 2005, has been giving the council his utmost attention by supporting its development and strengthening its goals.
As crown prince, he delivered a number of speeches on behalf of King Fahd to set the agenda of some years in the council’s third and the fourth terms. He also showed his support for the council by amending some articles of the council's law to cope with the growing changes in the Kingdom for the welfare of the country and citizens.
