Allegiance of Salman . . . A Date with History

In the life of nations, unforgettable days are a milestone in their history and they constitute a source of pride. The memory of some persons, whom their historical and humanitarian gifts, and their great attitudes in making the security and safety of our country and the prosperity of its citizens their primary concern, will be imprinted with letters of glory.  These days added records of heroism and glorious history. The achievements of these personalities changed the course of history, and led the country in an exceptional manner where the historians can study and draw lessons.

 These days, the third anniversary of allegiance of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdul Aziz - may Allah preserve him - is a dear occasion and a dear memory to all of us, because it proves that this country is preserved firstly by the will of Allah and then by the faith and wisdom of its leaders and the unity of its people. Allah chose men and leaders in each stage and he gave the trusteeship to King Salman bin Abdul Aziz at an important stage in the history of the country.  King Salman was aware of this great responsibility and of the expectations of the country. He was sincere in his concern for his people, and dedicated in serving his citizens and giving the homeland all of his effort, time and the sum of his long experience. His historic and pioneering achievements spread throughout his homeland and nation.

At the moment he took over the rule of our dear country, the homeland was on a date with history. He brought about qualitative changes in the cultural and scientific fields, and the Kingdom assumed a prominent position both regionally and globally. The personality of the leader, who sees beyond what others see and touches the doors of the future, has emerged in confidence and steadfastness.

His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz has a deep vision, a serious desire to give, and ambitious plans for the future where he recognizes its requirements and tools.  

Choosing HRH Prince Mohammed to be the Crown Prince gave our development a long-term strategic depth, pushed it to new levels of development and prosperity, established security and stability, and was a source of inspiration and hope for the country’s youth to promote the land of the Two Holy Mosques in order to achieve its natural position among the world.

This glorious era has continued adhering, with the firm foundations upon which this blessed country was established, to the Islamic Shari'a law, preserving the unity of the country, stabilizing its security and stability and doing all it can to serve the two holy mosques and the pilgrims.

Our country has continued its commitment to a number of principles, the most important of which is respect for the principle of sovereignty and firm rejection of any attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of our country. It also continued to defend Arab and Islamic issues in international forums. This glorious era is concerned with the fight against terrorism and extremism, resolutely tackling its intellectual bases and cooperating with fraternal and friendly countries and international bodies in fighting this scourge.

The state budget for the new fiscal year underscores our government's interest in pursuing the path of development by diversifying the sources of income and  expanding the economic base; the success of the government program is evident as it has succeeded in reducing the dependence on oil by nearly 50%.

The NEOM project is one of the practical applications of the ambitious aspirations affirmed by the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. It will be the ideal destination for talented and distinguished people and will open ways for creative ideas.

The Royal Decree, issued by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdul Aziz, to initiate a high committee for anti-corruption headed by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince, to investigate in the crimes of persons and entities involved in corruption cases, was a prompt for the development of our country.

This glorious era was concerned with supporting the educational process, raising the quality of its outputs and achieving integration between both public and higher education as an integrated entity, supporting educational institutions and increasing the harmonization of their outputs.

Through this support, KFUPM has sought to implement its strategic plans in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. It seeks to graduate internationally competitive competencies, carry out high yield research and be among the top universities in the field of energy and related disciplines.

During the visit by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz to the Eastern Province, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) was honored to inaugurate the second phase of the University City development, which includes academic, residential and support facilities projects at a total cost of 2 billion riyals.

The inauguration of these projects by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques is an honor to the University, a source of pride to all its members and an embodiment of the care and attention to the education sector.

In conclusion, I pray to Allah to preserve the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdul Aziz, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, and continue to preserve our country's security, stability and prosperity under the wise leadership of our government.