Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz issued three royal decrees on Thursday, reconstituting the Cabinet under the chairmanship of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and making changes to the leadership of two important economic authorities, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Under the first decree, the Cabinet was reconstituted under the chairmanship of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, with its current members retained. The move follows a legal requirement that the Cabinet be reconstituted by royal decree after a term of no more than four years.
In a second decree, King Salman relieved Bandar Alkhorayef of his position as chairman of the board of the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority. Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the Energy Minister, was appointed chairman of the authority's board.
In a third decree, Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Kuwaiz was relieved as chairman of the board of the Capital Market Authority. Mazen bin Turki Al Sudairi was appointed as his successor, with the rank of minister.
Prince Mohammed became Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister in June 2017, replacing his cousin Mohammed bin Nayef. He was subsequently appointed Prime Minister in September 2022. He has been overseeing the kingdom's political, economic and foreign policy agenda.
The Crown Prince is the driving force behind Saudi Vision 2030, an ambitious programme aimed at reducing the kingdom's dependence on oil, diversifying the economy and developing sectors including tourism, technology, entertainment, logistics and renewable energy. Major projects associated with the plan include Neom, Red Sea tourism development and the expansion of Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund.
Saudi Arabia has also pursued a more assertive and independent foreign policy led by Prince Mohammed. The kingdom has sought to strengthen ties with major powers including the US, China and Russia while expanding diplomatic engagement across the Middle East. In 2023, Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to restore diplomatic relations under a deal brokered by China.
Prince Mohammed has also overseen significant social changes in Saudi Arabia, including allowing women to drive, expanding women's participation in the workforce and opening the country to international entertainment and tourism. At the same time, the kingdom has drawn international criticism for human rights issues and restrictions on political dissent.
