The decisive king

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman’s first 100 days as the ruler of Saudi Arabia is the concentration of years of work and achievement into a few days. From the moment he took the reins of government on Jan. 23, 2015, he has not stopped working diligently on both domestic and international issues.
Domestically, King Salman made a number of decisions to inject new life into several ministries and service sectors. Internationally, Operation Decisive Storm and assembling the Arab-Islamic coalition under the Kingdom’s command were clear signals of the return of the great Arab and Islamic role which had long been missing due to the increasing influence of Iran and its proxies in the region.
King Salman began his rule by restructuring the Council of Ministers and injecting young blood into it. Royal decrees were issued on Jan. 29, 2015, and elicited widespread welcome and appreciation. His popular decisions also included a bonus payment of two salaries to all state employees and retired workers.
King Salman also allocated SR20 billion to improve electricity and water services, for amnesty to prisoners and extra pension of two months for the disabled. Another major decision which aims to provide housing for citizens was the decision to levy fees on undeveloped land. The king announced this decision at a meeting of the Council of Ministers on March 23.
For King Salman’s first 100 days, Riyadh was a hive of political and diplomatic activity with both Gulf and Western leaders coming to the Saudi capital. The Yamamah Palace, King Salman’s palace and the Al-Auja Palace in Diriyah have been the springs of determined Saudi policies seeking the maintenance of security for citizens as well as stability for the country.
On March 26, Operation Decisive Storm was begun in order to defend Yemen and other countries in the region from the Houthi menace supported by Tehran. This action followed the king’s meeting with Gulf leaders at the Al-Auja Palace where it was determined at the March 21 meeting when to launch the operation.
That meeting was the starting point for building an Arab military force and the decision was approved at the Arab summit in Sharm El-Sheikh at the beginning of April.
During this period, Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of King Salman, has been keen to take care of the humanitarian side of the crisis in Yemen. The king issued a number of orders — airlifting medical aid to the wounded, moving serious cases of injured Yemenis to medical centers in the Kingdom, to help those injured and displaced by the bombings of the Houthi militias and those of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh in both Aden and Sanaa.
In another related move, a royal decree was issued on April 18 providing for the allocation of $274 million for humanitarian aid to Yemen. That is the entire amount sought by the United Nations for urgent relief in Yemen and it was the first time in the history of the UN that the entire requested amount was given by one single donor — in this case, by Saudi Arabia. On May 2, the king also issued an order to correct the status of Yemenis illegally resident in the Kingdom.
On April 21, the Ministry of Defense announced the end of Operation Decisive Storm as the major goals of the operation had been achieved and the beginning of Operation Restoring Hope was announced. By launching Decisive Storm, the coalition forces sought to neutralize the heavy weapons of the rebels, including ballistic missiles, and the empowerment of tribal control over most Yemeni provinces.
In recognition of the brave efforts made by the armed forces for the success of Decisive Storm (March 26 — April 21), the king ordered extra payment of a month’s salary to all military personnel.
A series of vitally important royal decrees were issued early on April 29. The decrees included the appointment of Prince Mohammed bin Naif as crown prince, Prince Mohammed bin Salman as deputy crown prince, Adel Al-Jubeir as foreign minister and Khalid Al-Falih as health minister.
During the Egypt Economic Development Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh on March 13, Saudi Arabia announced that it would grant $4 billion in aid to Egypt in order to stabilize the country and promote economic security.
Signs of this “decisive” policy were obvious from the very start. Right after allegiance was pledged, King Salman outlined in a historic speech the features of the domestic and international policies of his reign. The most notable aspect of that speech was his keenness in stressing that “our country is going forward on the path of growth with firm and steady footsteps, and we will continue to build on the foundations upon which the Kingdom was founded, and we will strive for comprehensive and balanced growth in all regions of the Kingdom.”
King Salman said in his famous speech that he would work for “justice for all citizens; there is no difference between one citizen and another or one region and another.”
The king added that when he spoke to the security and economic councils, he emphasized the need to make matters easier for citizens. “I will not accept any complacency in the matter of providing a dignified life for all citizens,” he said.
The king also stressed the importance of eliminating corruption, preserving wealth and holding negligent officials accountable. “Security is the responsibility of all; we will not allow anyone to tamper with our security,” he said.
He also stressed the need to strengthen the capabilities of the Saudi security forces in defense of the homeland.
The king affirmed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia “is committed to its treaties and agreements,” and the Kingdom will defend the Arab and Islamic world in various ways, and it will seek to strengthen the Arab and Islamic character.
The king added that Saudi Arabia is part of the world and that it has its problems. It will, however, strive sincerely to find solutions to the world’s most pressing problems.