Riyadh turns to youth with new appointments

22 June 2017

Royal decree puts in place a new interior minister

The appointment of Prince Mohammed bin Salman as crown prince was part of a wider shake up of personnel in the kingdom with young officials assuming key government positions.

The decree issued by King Salman Abdulaziz al-Saud on 21 June appointed Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif as interior minister, a post held by the former crown prince. Prince Abdulaziz will be the youngest royal to serve as interior minister in the kingdom.

The king also appointed the following as advisers to the Royal Court: Abdul Rahman bin Ali Rubaiaan, Nasser bin Abdulaziz al-Dawoud, Bandar bin Khalid bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, Prince Turki bin Mohammed bin Fahd al-Saud, and Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Sudairy who was named adviser to the Royal Court.

Other appointments included:

  • Ahmed bin Mohamed al-Salem as deputy interior minister;
  • Prince Bandar bin Faisal bin Bandar as the new assistant to the president for general intelligence;
  • Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz as vice chairman of the General Authority for Sport Management;
  • Prince Abdulaziz bin Fahd bin Turki bin Abdulaziz as the deputy to the Emir of Al-Jouf;
  • Prince Faisal bin Sattam bin Abdulaziz, ambassador to Italy;
  • Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, ambassador to Germany;

A number of the new appointments are considered to be part the kingdom’s younger generation. Prince Mohamed and Prince Abdulaziz, the new interior minister, are both 31 years old with the kingdom seemingly turning to the youth at a critical time in the country’s history.

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