Celebrating King Salman: Seven years of growth and confidence

We are this week commemorating the seventh anniversary of King Salman’s reign over the Kingdom. We remember with great joy the remarkable day he ascended to the throne, when people pledged allegiance to an inspiring leader who has, through his wise vision, gone on to accomplish great things.
In just a few years, the Kingdom has become a magnet in all fields, including politics, economics and culture.
King Salman, who is well versed in the history of this nation and an expert in its challenges, has overseen years of achievement and change thanks to his deep knowledge of his people and their land, and his awareness of their true needs. By doing so, he has outdone all previous decisions that claimed to be familiar with the Saudi people and their priorities. We have been able to make strides in just a few years that we thought would take us many decades.
The qualities of firmness, determination and vigor are embodied in the leadership of King Salman, to the point where these qualities have become like a popular culture that seeks the top. We are reaping the rewards on a daily basis. With his wise leadership and awareness of his people’s strengths, he has been able to harness their energy, sharpen their determination and aim their ambitions higher than the sky.

The Kingdom has been able to make strides in just a few years that we thought would take us many decades.

Nayef Al-Fahadi

During King Salman’s reign, the Kingdom has also witnessed a transformation that will be commemorated in history. His wisdom and foresight led him to put his precious trust in Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, an outstanding leader for the youth of his country as they seek to achieve the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. This vision was a real breakthrough, in which wisdom met the spirit, knowledge and strength of youth.
Also during the reign of King Salman, Saudi Arabia has assumed a prominent position in the world. We have gone beyond traditional roles to adopt and support global initiatives that have a direct impact on all of humanity, the latest of which is the Saudi Green Initiative. This initiative sets out the Kingdom’s objective of contributing more than 4 percent of the global goal to reduce land degradation and wild habitats, as well as 1 percent of the global target of planting a trillion trees.
We renew our pledge of loyalty to King Salman and the crown prince — may God protect them. We ask God to preserve our wise leadership and extend our country’s security and prosperity.

• Nayef Al-Fahadi is the ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Japan.