U.S. President Donald Trump (R) meets with Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Crown Prince and Minister of Defense of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, on March 14.
Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, 57, has also been removed from his role as head of domestic security, state media say. He has pledged allegiance to the new crown prince, news agency SPA reported.
The current crown prince Mohammad Bin Salman has been central to the changes, which have helped his profile and powers grow rapidly under the tutelage of an 81-year-old monarch who has given him an nearly free hand across most aspects of society.
The decision settles what many analysts had described as a power struggle between Prince Mohammed, who has led an aggressive expansion of the country's foreign policy, and his cousin. The younger prince bent down on his knees before his cousin and repeatedly kissed his hand.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Nayef has been relieved of his post and replaced by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed Salman, a royal decree said today, in a promotion for King Salman's 31-year-old son that confirms him as next ruler of the kingdom.
Prince Mohammed bin Nayef was the kingdom's security chief for many years and was known for his strong stance against jihadist militants.
Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) Analyst's Long Term Pick
Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 47,562 shares in the company, valued at $3,198,544.50. Robecosam Ag has invested 0.5% of its portfolio in American Express Company (NYSE:AXP). (NYSE:GES) for 7,800 shares.
Ulrichsen tells The Associated Press that Mohammed bin Salman's appointment also removes the challenge of having an increasingly elderly set of royals rule the kingdom. Since then, he has consolidated more influence than anyone else in the kingdom, spearheading plans for a privatization of the state oil company, Aramco, while taking charge of the war in Yemen and one of the world's largest arms budgets.
'With so many powers now in the hands of Mohammed bin Salman, including the soft power of the Saudi media and the global outreach of the public relations companies he employs, it is hard to forecast any real challenges to his inauguration as the future king'.
The order, carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, said the meeting would take place after a special prayer Wednesday night amid the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
The newly appointed 31-year-old crown prince will be the first of a new generation of Saudi royals to take power.
Under the same royal decree, King Salman has also appointed Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef as Saudi Arabia's interior minister while Ahmed bin Mohammed al-Salem was named deputy minister of interior. Though sources in the kingdom have long estimated that bin Salman would rise in power, the sudden upheaval came as a surprise to many in the Saudi establishment.
Comments