On the picture HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef Al Saud. Picture Anahi Aradas-AFP.
By Baron Henri Estramant.
29 April 2015: The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, issued a series of royal decrees relieving HRH Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz Al Saud from the post of “Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia” and au lieu transferring the office to their nephew, the Minister of Interior, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, son of the late Crown Prince Nayef who passed away in 2012.
Secondly, appointing his own son, Defence Minister and Head of Royal Court, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, to the position of “Deputy Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia”.
Thirdly, relieving the world’s oldest serving Minister of Foreign Affairs, HRH Prince Saud bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (alias Saud Al-Faisal) from his ministerial post in favour of HE Mr Adel Al Jubeir, the outgoing ambassador to the USA.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is known as the architect of the kingdom’s counter-terrorism strategy. He now becomes the first grandson of the kingdom’s founder, King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman to be next in line for the throne. The prince has two daughters but no sons.
The new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Adel Al Jubeir, is known and trusted in Washington D.C., which seems to indicate a willingness of Riyadh to regain the trust of strategic partner USA. He has been the primary media spokesman of the Saudi-led campaign in Yemen, going as far as to announcing the beginning of the military operation from the Saudi Embassy in Washington.
A further royal fiat appointed Mr. Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Faleh as Minister of Health. He used to be CEO of Saudi Aramco.
The office holders were all confirmed to their posts through an allegiance ceremony before King Salman bin Abdulaziz.
Saudi citizens, ambassadors and officials have also pledged allegiance to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef as well as to Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
For more information
Saudi News Agency:
http://www.spa.gov.sa/english/search.php?s=Crown%20Prince&pg=2&by1=n
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia:
http://www.mofa.gov.sa/sites/mofaen/Pages/Default.aspx
