Saudi appoints Prince Mohammed as PM

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been named the Kingdom’s Prime Minister in a cabinet reshuffle ordered by King Salman, according to a Royal Decree published by the official Saudi Press Agency on Tuesday.

Prince Mohammed is already de facto ruler of the world’s largest oil exporter, and the appointment formalises his role as leader of the kingdom’s government.

MBS is already de facto ruler of the kingdom, but the appointment formalises his role as head of government.

The crown prince, known by his initials MBS, previously served as deputy prime minister as well as defence minister. He is being replaced as defence minister by his younger brother, Khalid bin Salman, who was deputy defence minister.

The royal decree reaffirmed all the other senior ministers in their posts, including Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan and Investment Minister Khalid al-Falih.
By appointing MBS as prime minister, a role previously – and typically – held by the king, the 86-year-old monarch continues a slow but steady transfer of power in the kingdom.

The prince said in 2019 that he took “full responsibility” for the killing since it happened on his watch, but denied ordering it. Saudi officials have said Khashoggi’s killing was the work of rogue Saudi security and intelligence officials.
 
 Saudi Arabian courts say they have sentenced eight Saudi nationals to prison over the killing but have not identified them.

President Joe Biden once vowed to make Saudi Arabia a “pariah” over the killing, but he visited the kingdom and met with the crown prince earlier this year, acknowledging the continued importance of relations with the world’s largest oil exporter.

The royal decree on Tuesday did not state the reasons behind the appointment, but the state-run news agency SPA said that the king – who remains head of state – will continue to chair cabinet meetings he attends.
In May, the king was hospitalised for medical examinations and treatments, SPA reported at the time.

The 37-year-old crown prince was already in charge of many of the kingdom’s major portfolios, including the economy, defence, oil, and internal security.

In April 2016, Prince Mohammed introduced Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia’s vision of the future, which is aimed at making the kingdom the heart of the Arab and Islamic world, an investment powerhouse, and a hub that connects three continents.

The initiative seeks to diversify and privatise the economy, and to make it less reliant on oil. By 2030, the initiative also aims to establish an e-government system.