HM King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud was proÂclaimed the 7th king of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in January 2015, after the passing of King AbÂdullah bin Abdul-Aziz. He had previously held the position of Crown Prince from June 2012. King SalÂmanâs influence comes from being the absolute monÂarch of the most powerful Arab nation and is maniÂfested by the role Saudi Arabia plays in three critical areas: 1. having the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, which millions of Muslims visit throughÂout the year; 2. exporting crude oil and refined petroÂleum products, which ensures its central international role; and 3. propagating Islam through its huge dawah network, which makes its influence felt in all Muslim countries. On 21 June 2017, King Salman appointed his son, Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdul-Aziz as Crown Prince of the Kingdom.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques: HM King Salman has significant influence in the global MusÂlim community through his custodianship of the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. Makkah is the main pilgrimage site for 2 billion Muslims. Each year approximately 2-3 million pilgrims perform the Hajj. In addition to this, approximately 10 million pilgrims (including Saudi residents and GCC citiÂzens) perform the Umrah, âthe lesser Hajjâ, throughout the year. A multi-billion-dollar expansion to the two mosques is well under way.
Controller of Oil Reserves: HM King Salman reigns over a land of massive crude oil reservesâSauÂdi Arabia has approximately 20% of the worldâs proven oil reservesâmaking him a key player in the global petroleum industry. Although oil revenues declined by 28% compared to the previous year, Saudi Arabiaâs non-oil revenues jumped 13% in the second quarter of 2023.
Head of the Worldâs Largest Dawah Network: King Salman is also head of the most extensive dawah netÂwork of missionary Muslims in the world, promotÂing the Salafi brand of Islam. Salafism is historically rooted in Saudi Arabia and owes its global spread to the financial backing of Saudi Arabia. Its violent offÂshoots have meant that Saudi Arabia itself is now a target for them.
Humanitarian: The King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Aid (KSRelief) was established in 2015 delivering aid internationally to victims of civil war and natural disasters. KSRelief has funded over $6 billion in more than 2,000 projects in 92 countries. Projects included assisting Syrian patients living in Zataari Syrian refugee camp in Jordan and providing prosthetic limbs to Yemeni civilians wounded during the war. KSRelief signed a memorandum of cooperation with UNICEF and signed an agreement with the UNHCR to support the families affected by war.
Vision 2030: A number of mega projects and initiatives show the dazzling changes currently underway in the Kingdom: the construction of a linear smart city called NEOM which will be 170-km long and 200-m wide, estimated to cost $500 billion in total; Â the sponsorship of an array of sports including golf, football bringing the Kingdom to the worldâs attention; political and economic strategic changes are also underway as part of the Vision 2030.
Key Appointments: The transfer of power from the sons of the founder of Saudi Arabia, King AbÂdul-Aziz, to the new generation, which some feared would be an issue that would split the country, has been remarkably smooth so far. HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman is the second Crown Prince from the new generation appointed by King Salman. These appointees have brought changes in law which have had monumental social effects, changes such as allowing women in Saudi Arabia to move freely and drive, and the promotion of cinemas and music concerts.
Hajj: The Hajj was severely curtailed for two years with only 1,000 and then 60,000 residents allowed to perform the pilgrimage, but in 2022 it opened for a million worldwide pilgrims and in 2023 for over 2.5 million pilgrims.
