Saudi Arabia names seven new Shoura members

Saudi King Salman on Saturday appointed seven new members to the current session of the Shoura Council, according to a Royal Decree carried by the Saudi Press Agency.

The new members are: Dr. Khalid Al-Sabti, Dr. Muhammad Al-Hiaza, Walid Al-Khuraiji, Mohammed Al-Sager, Dr. Saad Al-Huraiqi, Dr. Nasser Al-Daoud and Abbas Muhammad Hadi.

The King issued separate Royal Decrees relieving Abbas Muhammad Hadi from his post as deputy housing minister and Dr. Saad Al-Huraiqi from his post as director of Al-Baha University with immediate effect.

The King appointed Abdullah Al-Essa as undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for Security Affairs at excellent rank and Mohammed Bin Hamad Al-Madhy as chairman of the General Organization for Military Industries at excellent rank with immediate effect.

King Salman ascended the throne on Jan. 23 upon the death of King Abdullah. On Jan. 29, he issued several decrees restructuring the government ministries, abolishing numerous government bodies, establishing new government bodies and merging the Ministry of Higher Education and the Ministry of Education.

King Salman also ordered bonuses to all state employees. The Kingdom will pay two months of bonus salary to all state employees and pension to retired government workers, King Salman said in a series of Royal Decrees last month.

He appointed Prince Faisal Bin Bandar Riyadh Emir and reinstated Prince Khaled Al-Faisal as Makkah Emir. He also appointed Mohammed Jadaan, a lawyer, as the new head of the Capital Market Authority, the state regulator for the stock market which will open to direct foreign participation later this year.

The King in his January Royal Order established the Council of Political and Security Affairs and the Council of Economic and Development Affairs.

King Salman also appointed Lt. Gen. Khalid Al-Humaidan as Chief of General Intelligence.

This article was first published in the Saudi Gazette.