July 28, 2006

THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES ASCENSION TO THE THRONE WITH PRINCE SULTAN AS HIS ENTRUSTED CROWN PRINCE. A SERIES OF ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE FIELDS OF DEVELOPMENT, SECURITY AND POLICIES AT THE REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ARENAS. CONTINUOUS ENDEAVOUR TO STRENGTHEN THE FOUNDATIONS OF STABILITY PRESERVING ARAB AND ISLAMIC RIGHTS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF ISLAM AND WORLD PEACE. THE NATIONAL DIALOGUE IS THE BASE OF THE NATIONAL UNITY. Saturday, July 22, corresponded to the first anniversary of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud ascension to the throne. Since the pledge of allegiance to the King, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has witnessed record accomplishments characterized by integration and comprehensiveness. The King's era has been characterized by pioneering civilized and civilian features. The King's traits are embodied in his adherence to the Holy Quran and Sunnah (Tradition) and his dedication to the service of his homeland, citizens, Muslim nation and the human community as a whole. The King's most important priorities have been to closely sense the needs of citizens and their situations, to improve their standards of living and to support the march of the national economy. During the Monarch's era , the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has achieved great accomplishments and changes in educational, economic, agricultural, industrial, cultural, social and architectural fields. The King has played a remarkable role in strengthening the pillars of Gulf, Arab, Islamic, political and contemporary works and in formulating and planning their future. The Monarch has been able through his skill and experience to enhance the Kingdom's role at regional and international arenas politically, economically and commercially. It has been one year since Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz ascended to the throne of the Kingdom, according to the Hijrah calendar. (The Gregorian anniversary date is Aug.1.) Over this past year the king has won the hearts of citizens and residents in the country alike. King Abdullah is a caring father to all the people in the Kingdom. His kindness recognizes no borders, going out to succour any place in the world where calamity or war has hit. Every order the king has issued has been for the welfare of the people, aimed at lessening their economic burdens, increasing their educational facilities, employment opportunities and above all the rapid national progress. For instance, anyone who visits a fuel station in the Kingdom hears each driver invoking a prayer: "May Allah prolong our king's life" because the great burden of rising fuel prices has been taken off the backs of the people by a royal decree. Being a true God-fearing man, the king wants to stick to the commands of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) with all the principles of human love and care for the subjects with justice and fairness. His goal is to achieve greater prosperity for the people. The achievements in the areas of education, economy, agriculture, industry, cultural and social life in the short span of a year are loud testimonials to the king's commitment to progress. His policies have pushed the Kingdom to a notable position regionally and internationally apart from a significant role in decision-making on Islamic and international stages. King Abdullah has evidently been following the path paved by the founder of the Kingdom, the late King Abdul Aziz, in his policies in religious, political and developmental matters. King Abdullah said while opening the second year of the fourth Shoura Council this year: "Our Islamic method makes it binding on us to spread justice among the people without any distinction between the strong and the weak. All should be given their due rights. We will not keep back anyone's rights and all people are equal. Nobody becomes great except by his actions and none becomes small but by his crime." The top most priority of the king is to know the needs of the people by studying their problems from close quarters. With the apparent keenness to improve their standard of life and reducing the burden of life, the king ordered in August a 15 percent hike in the salaries of all government employees, including the military personnel and pensioners. A month's basic salary was given to Grade 5 employees and below. Royal orders were issued to enhance the allocations to the agencies and services that directly affect the people. This order was aimed at enhancing the assistance to people through social insurance, water and electricity, the Real Estate Development Fund, the Saudi Credit Bank and the Saudi Industrial Fund. Gasoline and diesel prices were slashed and new universities, colleges, technical institutes and schools were opened at various places nationwide. The king aimed to do away with the housing problem, particularly for low-income earners by issuing orders to allocate SR8 billion for huge housing projects covering all the regions in the Kingdom. The scheme, which is scheduled to complete in five years, will get an additional SR2 billion. Another practical measure to bail out the common man from his economic and social problems was doubling the allocation for the Saudi Credit Bank to SR6 billion. A further SR25 billion has been allocated to various other developmental funds for the rapid progress of the Kingdom. In order to achieve a giant leap in the field of education, a dozen new universities have been established with special attention to women's education. The establishment of three new economic cities was also announced. The King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah will be upgraded and the airport in Madinah converted to an international airport. A railway project is also under way to link east with west and north with south. The Kingdom's national security situation has been of great concern. Side by side with taking measures to ensure the safety of all persons living inside the Kingdom, King Abdullah pardoned prisoners languishing in the country's jails. Under the king's directive, the government paid generously from the public fund to resolve blood money conflicts that have kept prisoners from being released. The king has also declared amnesty to those wanted for national security threats if they surrendered to authorities and devoted themselves to returning to the fold of civil society. King Abdullah has also paid special attention to victims of calamities in various parts of the world by sending them aid materials and funds. In order to discuss the issues of the Ummah, an extraordinary summit was held in Makkah. There is special funds set up to extend a helping hand to poor countries. His concern for the Muslims the world over has been quite evident when he allocated SR70 billion for the expansion works in the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. He only aims to make the pilgrimage as comfortable and safe as possible for the pilgrims coming from the world over. With regard to foreign policy, the king wants to ensure support to international peace, welfare of all people in all parts of the world. He also wants to promote the cooperation with the brotherly Arab and Islamic states as well as other friendly countries. The first year of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia's reign has demonstrated the new king's values and political-economic vision that became eminent throughout the rule of King Fahd, during which the then crown prince, Abdullah, played the right hand man to the late King who died 1 August, 2005. The new King's reign began during the heat of the summer months and amidst difficult times within the political arena. His reign began with genuine grief for the dear brother that he had lost as was expressed through images all over international press and news agencies. On the third day of King Abdullah's reign, he delivered a speech that was heard by millions within and outside of the Kingdom, saying, "My aim is to achieve the truth and justice and to serve every citizen equally. I seek your support, advice, and prayers to manage such a responsibility." After several days of receiving condolences from world delegations whilst others came to pledge allegiance to the new King, the King announced his pardoning of the Libyans involved in his assassination attempt. The kindness of this act was expressed during the first session of the Minister's council, eight days into his reign. This was a dignified lesson, that one who can afford to punish instead decided to pardon, as well as proof of the King's enthusiasm to maintain Arab unity and avoid conflict amidst such a critical stage for the Arab region. Furthermore, the King also pardoned five Saudi oppositionists, four of whom were charged with "provoking civil conflict and rebellion against the ruler," while the fifth was yet to be charged. The pardoning of Abdullah Al Hamed, Matrouk Al Faleh, Ali Al Demoini, Sa'id Ibn Zu'ayer, and Abdel Rahman Al Lahem has been portrayed as a step towards encouraging the concept of dialogue between various cultural and intellectual trends. One should also mention that King Abdullah was responsible for the introduction of the national dialogue when he sponsored a number of talks that focused on a many issues concerning Saudi society such as women, youth, tolerance and coexistence. This was the biggest step taken towards reform. During the first days of his reign, King Abdullah embarked on a domestic tour of the kingdom including Makkah, Jeddah, and Medina where he received more condolences and those pledging allegiance. He also met with three of the five activists that he had pardoned earlier. King Abdullah, who is known locally as "Abu Met'ab," was the cause for much celebration and happiness when he announced a 15 percent wage increase for government employees and retired government employees. The announcement also included a one month salary bonus for the government workforce of the fifth level and below of the civil and military sectors. In addition, it was announced that there would be an increase in social benefits, and that 30 billion Saudi Riyals would be designated to the improvement of public services. The Saudis also commemorated that Saudi national day was declared an official holiday and that the King allowed citizens to celebrate in the streets. On 10 September, the King re-instated the Consultative Authority of Economic Affairs affiliated with the Supreme Economic Council. On 9 October, by royal decree, the King established the Council to Protect Economic Competition, which was headed by the Trade Minister and included representatives from various ministries and government agencies. The step aimed at the protection of Saudi national economic interests. King Abdullah's interview with the American TV channel ABC, illustrated his vision and leadership. The king openly expressed his opinions concerning local, regional and international matters. For example, he admitted that there have been a number of disagreements between Saudi Arabia and the United States especially with respect to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Palestine. In the same interview, the king was decisive concerning the sensitive issue of the women being allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia. He told the interviewer, "I strongly believe in women's rights as my mother, sisters, daughters and wife are all women. I do believe that women will be able to drive cars in Saudi Arabia one day. In fact, at present women can be seen driving in some rural and desert areas of the country; the matter requires patience, and in time, such a wish may come true." The entire interview was based on a single fixed principle that the King reiterated when he told the interviewer, "I value and look after my people in the same way that I do myself. I respect my people and will never compel anything upon them." He also addressed the thorny issue of religious freedom in Saudi Arabia that concerned the western minds, emphasizing, "Non-Muslim westerners in Saudi Arabia can freely practice their religion within their own homes." Looking at local matters, there have been several changes. On 16 October, King Abdullah inaugurated the National Security Council and appointed Prince Bandar Ibn Sultan as its Secretary General at ministerial level. Another development was the dismantling of the Public Authority for Oil and Minerals and merging it with ARAMCO. There was also a change and rearrangement of the governors of each region. For example, Prince Abdul Aziz Ibn Majid became the governor of Medina. Prince Muqrin Ibn Abdul Aziz became president of the General Intelligence, while Prince Saud Ibn Fahd was relieved from his post as vice-president of that same agency. Finally, the King's generosity was further demonstrated during the aftermath of the South Asian earthquake. The King insisted upon a support campaign to help provide relief to Pakistan. The campaign ended only recently on 2 November. The first hundred days of King Abdullah's reign have been promising, as many steps have been taken to improve and develop Saudi Arabia and its residents. Such an optimistic beginning has given Saudis much hope for further improvements under the rule of King Abdullah in addition to the success of Saudi Arabia over the past few decades. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, forged ahead with his political, social and economic reform programs to take the Kingdom to new heights of progress and prosperity. King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz has always reiterated his country's support to stabilize international oil market and bring down skyrocketing prices in order to protect the interests of both producers and consumers. He launched an unprecedented crackdown on Al-Qaeda militants, blamed for a series of terrorist bombings and shootings across the Kingdom since May 2003 and won international acclaim. "We'll flush out the deviants from the country, no matter how long it takes," he told tribal leaders who came to voice their support for the government's anti-terror campaign. While he was the crown prince, Abdullah initiated a series of reforms to liberalize the state-dominated economy which led to the Kingdom's accession to the World Trade Organization. Saudi Arabia. He shares with King Fahd the credit for holding the country's first-ever nationwide municipal elections to pick half the members of its 178 local councils. He also took initiatives to empower women and increase job opportunities for them. King Abdullah has travelled widely to strengthen the Kingdom's relations with other countries, emphasize Riyadh's position on various issues and mobilize support for Arab and Islamic causes, most importantly the Palestinian issue. Inside the Kingdom, Abdullah has become popular through implementing welfare and investment projects, introducing new political and economic reforms and taking steps to fight poverty. He also won the hearts of Saudi youth by creating new job opportunities for them in the private sector. King Abdullah launched many giant industrial cities amongst which (Jubail-2 and Yanbu-2) in the Kingdom's eastern and western regions in recent months, paving the way for new investment projects worth trillions of riyals. A humanitarian king, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz was the first to visit poor neighbourhoods in the capital city two years ago to launch a series of schemes to fight poverty in various parts of the country. He allocated SR2 billion from the budget surplus to build low-cost housing units for the poor and needy in various parts of the Kingdom. He instructed Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz Foundation, a charity named after him, to expand its housing projects all over the Kingdom for the benefit of underprivileged sections of Saudi society. The charity is constructing 2,070 houses in different parts of the Kingdom at a cost of SR385 million. King Abdullah has been a staunch supporter of women's rights. He said Saudi women have started entering the mainstream of national life and hoped that social attitudes toward them would change for the better within a few years. In February this year, a Cabinet meeting chaired by Abdullah adopted a number of decisions to intensify the country's Saudization drive and urged government agencies, universities and media organizations to support measures taken by the government to reduce dependence on foreign labour. The Saudi royal family has launched a number of charitable housing projects in various parts of the country to meet the needs of low income groups. King Abdullah initiated the scheme as Crown Prince in 2002 after visiting a slum in Riyadh and recently allocated SR2 billion from the budget surplus for a low-cost housing scheme. The results of a survey conducted by the Prince Abdullah Foundation for Housing show that poverty exists in many parts of the Kingdom. Officials who conducted the survey blamed unemployment and inadequate social security allowances for the situation and the new king has called for a national strategy to eliminate such conditions. As well as calls for improvements to infrastructure and the need for more houses, economic expansion is increasing the demand for more shops, offices and other commercial premises. When King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz ascended to the throne, less than a year ago, he pledged to bring social and economic justice to all Saudis, without distinction. In his first speech as monarch, he also linked national unity to adherence to Islam. True to his words, in his first year in power, national dialogue and development were at the helm of his priorities. King Abdullah does not shy away from discussing any idea; he carefully examines every economic, political, social, cultural and educational decision taken in Saudi Arabia each day and examines their impact on citizens. However, what most distinguishes King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz is that he is a good listener, who gives his advisors and ministers the chance to have an input on the issues at stake. He only makes a decision after he has heard everyone's point of view. Given his interest in keeping track of the state of affairs, he continuously asks about the latest economic developments, according to Dr. Abdul Rahman al Tuwaijiri, Secretary General of the Supreme Economic Council and head of the Capital Market Authority. "He is the best follower of the stock market." Faisal Abdul Rahman Ibn Moammar, Secretary General of the King Abdul Aziz center for national dialogue, and the supervisor of the King Abdul Aziz Public Library, revealed that after the library's inauguration, the Saudi monarch eagerly commented on the number of visitors to the library during his trip to and from the palace. The national dialogue and the economy were two of the King's highest priorities. When the stock market index fell sharply in February this year, to 14900 points, the King intervened to ease people's suffering. He announced a new initiative, which boosted the market. According to Dr. al Tuwaijiri, King Abdullah is very concerned with the stock market; he follows it closely and understands how it affects ordinary citizens. "King Abdullah is a keen follower of the market. He follows it with us continuously. The King's biggest concern is the life of ordinary citizens. He asks about the effect of every proposal put to him on the lives of ordinary citizens and asks that these proposals are studied with care. Whenever an economic policy is suggested to him, King Abdullah always asks: How does this affect ordinary citizens?" Ordinary citizens have personally experienced this when he announced, during a press conference with journalists from across the Gulf, the creation of a fund for low-income families. He had acted after taking into consideration his feelings towards the people and his desire to offer them a better life. Dr. al Tuwaijiri said that when King Abdullah appointed him to head the Capital Market Authority, his instructions were to focus primarily on the needs of ordinary citizens and their best interest. On the economic projects that King Abdullah has put forward, al Tuwaijiri said, "During meetings, King Abdullah is a good listener who gives the speaker the chance to discuss the issues and he makes a decision only after hearing everyone's opinion. He will not make a decision until he has fully examined it and has asked experts for their opinions in the issue." King Abdullah's philosophy is based on economic development and social justice. When he embarked on a visit to the Eastern Region, Hail, al Qassim and Medina, he reiterated his non-distinction between one region and another. At the time, he said, "Dear brothers your Kingdom will continue to bring benefits to all its citizens, brothers and friends, as well as humanity as a whole." "The Kingdom is working on developing regions which have not received their fair share of development and is earmarking additional funds to develop it and their services," the Saudi monarch said in Hail. Dr. Osama Abu Gharara, former Deputy Minister for Industrial Affairs and current member of the Consultative Council, said that when King Abdullah met members of the Majlis al Shura, he stressed that developments should extend to all regions of Saudi Arabia. He added that the King's support of stable oil prices was an indication of his concern for a stable economic policy that boosts growth. The establishment of economic cities, including King Abdullah economic city in Rabigh, Prince Abdul Aziz Ibn Musaid economic city in Hail, the city of knowledge in Medina and the King Abdullah financial centre in Riyadh, were examples of his eagerness to usher in a period of continuous economic growth. In his speech on the need to create a fund for low-income families, King Abdullah indicated that development was intricately linked to social justice and would improve living conditions for all Saudis, according to Abu Gharara. In turn, the meeting of the Majlis al Shura members and the head of the investment committee, where the subject of economic cities was discussed, demonstrated the determination to develop these regions, in order to attract investors and civilians. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques' speeches, as Crown Prince and since his ascendancy to the throne in August 2005, have been focused and clear. They have included many decisions and a vision to spur economic development in Saudi Arabia. In a speech to mark the late King Fahd's approval to establish the King Abdul Aziz centre for national dialogue, the then Crown Prince Abdullah said, "I have no doubt that establishing the centre and continuing the dialogue under its auspices will be a historical achievement and will have far-reaching consequences in the fight against extremism and develop the creation of a clean atmosphere, from which wise views and enlightened opinions will emanate, rejecting terrorism and terrorist thought." Faisal Ibn Abdul Rahman Ibn Moammar, secretary general of the King Abdul Aziz centre for national dialogue and the supervisor of the King Abdul Aziz public library, said the Saudi monarch's vision for dialogue was based on his conviction that dialogue is one of the main pillars of continuity. He said that King Abdullah was adamant that culture be the core component of awareness for members of Saudi society. His annual meetings with visitors at al Janadriya festival are evidence of his interest in culture. King Abdullah has sponsored scientific talent and established the King Abdul Aziz Public Library and its branches. His decision to use part of his palace to establish the library and a mosque beside it is proof of the great attention he gives to religion, education and knowledge. Ibn Moammar said that, after the Library opened its doors, King Abdullah was eager to provide feedback on the public's use of the library and was keen to note the number of visitors. He also asked the Public Library to inaugurate a cultural project in order to revitalize the interest in books and reading. King Abdullah does not like dividing the nation into categories based on ideology or thought, and a few days ago, signalled his outright rejection of categorization which has become more common in Saudi society with labels such as "secular", "liberal" or "Islamist extremist" being used by individuals "either out of ignorance or bad faith," as he described them. In his speech in al Qassim, King Abdullah stressed that all Saudi citizens were "faithful" to their country and refused to doubt anyone's beliefs or nationalism "unless, there is categorical proof that calls to doubt someone". When King Abdullah stood under the dome of the Majlis al Shura during the opening ceremony earlier this year, he said, " Islam calls for providing a good life to its sons and our way of achieving this is through comprehensive development, which we will seek to accomplish, hoping to give the citizen housing, jobs, education, medical treatment and other services. We are eager to combat poverty and show interest in regions which have not received their fair share of development according to studied development plans we cannot remain idle while the world around us is changing." Chief Lieutenant Mohammed bin Faisal Abu Saq, member of the Legislative Council, said: King Abdullah's speech is a constitution; it embodies reality in the Kingdom and reflects the aspirations of the leaders towards achieving a better future. The speech strengthens the trust of every citizen that this speech is "a national vision for the future" which represents a safe roadmap for the future that can be implemented and a method to take the country from its current situation to a distinguished state of affairs across the country. In a speech during a ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of King Saud University in May 2006, King Abdullah said, "The University is not an average institution. It is a wealth of knowledge, which is passed one from one generation to another. It is the library which includes treasures from every era and in every language, it is the laboratory from which the innovation of the teacher starts off and where the young individual spends his best years and has the richest experience and friendships I have to mention especially members of the teaching faculty, as they are the unknown soldiers in the drive towards development and they are the minds of society and its conscience. They are the candles that light up minds and hearts with forgiveness." Mohammed Ibn Abdul Aziz al Saleh, secretary general for the higher education committee, said the visits by King Abdullah to the United States, China, Japan, Malaysia and Pakistan, resulted in several agreements being signed on scientific, economic, and commercial fields to increase bilateral relations. This has led to a number of benefits, including the program to send delegations to these countries, so that Saudis can benefit from the knowledge of these countries, their universities and faculties. He ordered the Ministry of Higher Education to implement a program to send missions abroad, the biggest government program of its kind in Saudi Arabia. It includes scientific specialization and other specializations that are needed in the market in Saudi Arabia. King Abdullah also enjoys meeting with ordinary citizens on unannounced visits to public places or popular neighbourhoods. In a visit to Medina, while he was still Crown Prince, people saw him walking around the market, speaking to people and eating the traditional 'foul' with bread on a table, proof of his simplicity and comfort. When he was in the eastern region, visiting the al Rashed commercial centre, he walked around the centre eating chips, and shook hands with adults and played with children. In the month of Ramadan in 2002, he visited a poor neighbourhood and spoke to the its residents about the problems they face. Afterwards, the project of funding for low- income families was launched in addition to a plan to increase housing, which was followed by the establishment of King Abdullah institution for housing, which intends to build 7000 housing units. King Abdullah is known for being very sensitive and he is full of compassion and kindness as evident when he shed tears when he met children of martyrs in al Qassim. King Abdullah enjoys reading and gaining knowledge, perhaps the best proof of this is his saying, "Reading at night does not mean you do not need to read during the day. Those who do not follow contemporary science will find themselves isolated." He also takes great pleasure in horse riding and enjoys visiting the desert whenever he has the time to do so. When he was afraid this sport would vanish, he founded a riding club in Riyadh and encouraged others to preserve this original sport, which co-existed with the Islamic Ummah across the globe. The foreign policy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is based on geographical historical religious economic security political everlasting principles and facts. It is shaped within major frameworks, among the most important of which are; good-neighbour policy, non interference in the internal affairs of other countries, strengthen relations with the Gulf States and the countries of the Arabian Peninsula, strengthen relations with Arab and Islamic countries for the benefit of common interests of these countries, as well as advocate their issues, adopt nonalignment policy, establish cooperation relations with friendly countries, and play effective role in the international and regional organizations. This policy is activated through several circles such as Gulf, Arab, Islamic, and international circles. The basis and principles of Saudi foreign policy can be generally summarized in the following: § Harmonizing with the principles of the Islamic Law (Sharia'a) considering it the constitution of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. § Value the principle of sovereignty and non interference in the internal affairs of any country. In addition, reject any attempt of others to interfere in Her internal affairs. § Work out for international peace and justice, and reject the use of power and violence or any actions that threaten the international peace or lead to the building up of injustice and autocracy. § Condemn and reject all methods and mechanisms of international terrorism, and confirm that Islam is above suspicion of all terrorist activities. § Adherence to the regulations of the international law, agreements, charters, and bilateral agreements, as well as respecting them all either within the framework of international organizations or other agreements. § Defend Arab and Islamic issues in the international arena through continuous support by all political, diplomatic, and economic means. § Non-alignment and rejection of disputes that threaten international security and peace, and respect the right of people for self-determination and their lawful rights for self-defence. § Implement balanced and reasonable policy in the field of oil production, in view of Kingdom's position as the major oil producer and the holder of the largest world oil reserve. On the other hand on the occasion of the first anniversary of the pledge of allegiance to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz al Saud, Prince Sultan Ibn Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz, General President of Youth Welfare and Chairman of Saudi Olympic Committee congratulated the king on this occasion. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), he commended the kingdom's achievements locally and internationally, also praising the wise policy of the king, the Crown Prince and the government in dealing with issues pertaining to Arab and Islamic nations. In a similar press statement, Prince Nawaf Ibn Faisal Ibn Fahd Ibn Abdul aziz, Vice President of Youth Welfare congratulated the King and the Crown Prince on this occasion. He shed light on the achievements in sports and youth sectors in the era of king Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, noting that these accomplishments came as a result of the continuous support of the king and the crown prince. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz received at his palace Prince Miqren Ibn Abdul Aziz, Chief of General Intelligence accompanied by Assistant Chief of General Intelligence for Training Major General Youssif Al-Idrisi; Commander of Center and School King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz for Special Security in Taif Brigadier Ahmed Ibn Sulaiman Al-Mutlaq; and the center and the school's senior commanders and officers on the occasion of changing the name of the center and the school from Prince Abdullah to King Abdullah and on the 1st anniversary of the pledge of allegiance to the King. The audience was attended by Prince Miteb Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs; Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Interior; and a number of princes. The Governor of Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) Amr Al-Dabbagh said the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has intensified its efforts to improve the investment environment within the framework of a program of economic reforms. In a statement on the occasion of the first anniversary of paying allegiance to the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz and Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister, Defence and Aviation Minister and Inspector General, Al-Dabbagh said the Kingdom has made big strides in the field of encouraging local and foreign investments. He noted that King Abdullah has issued his directives to remove all obstacles that might face either the Saudi or the foreign investor. The value of licenses issued by SAGIA in 2005 for joint and foreign projects exceeded SR 200 billion, he said. On the occasion of the first anniversary of the pledge of allegiance to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Minister of Health Dr. Hamad Ibn Abdullah Al-Mane has shed light on the achievements in the health sector in the era of King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz. In a press statement, Dr. Al-Mane said that upon the King's directives, the accomplishments in the health sector have corroborated the role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in all fields particularly the care of human health.