Amid the festering regional crisis and the onslaught of Houthi rebels on the Saudi borders, Saudi Arabian monarch King Salman bin Abdulaziz has sprung a surprise and appointed his nephew, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, 55, as the crown prince.
Nayef replaces the King’s half-brother Prince Muqrin who, the royal court statement said, was relieved on his request.
In a second significant appointment, King Salman elevated his son to the position of deputy crown prince, marking the most important royal reshuffle since his coronation in January this year. Prince Nayef is most likely to succeed the king. The prince, who is the interior minister controlling the country’s police and border guards, is known internationally as Saudi Arabia’s counter-terrorism tsar.
The new deputy crown prince, who is the defence minister, is overseeing the Saudi-led airstrikes in Yemen. His portfolio also includes heading the council overseeing economic and development issues.
Another critical change was the removal of foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, who was replaced with Adel al-Jubeir, the kingdom’s ambassador to the US. The decree said Faisal was unable to carry on due to ill health.
The elevation of the interior and defence ministers to a publicly more symbolic position comes at a time when Saudi Arabia’s borders are being assailed by Shia Houthi rebels in Yemen, supported by regional rival Iran.
Author Profile
- India Writes Network (www.indiawrites.org) is an emerging think tank and a media-publishing company focused on international affairs & the India Story. A venture of TGII Media Private Limited, a leading media, publishing and consultancy company, IWN has carved a niche for balanced and exhaustive reporting and analysis of international affairs. Eminent personalities, politicians, diplomats, authors, strategy gurus and news-makers have contributed to India Writes Network, as also “India and the World,” a magazine focused on global affairs. The Global Insights India (TGII) is the research arm of India Writes Network. To subscribe to India and the World, write to editor@indiawrites.org
Latest entries
China Connect2023.03.23Chinese diplomat cautious against third-party interference in border dispute with India
India and the World2023.03.20Japan PM seeks India’s central role in updated Indo-Pacific strategy
India and the World2023.03.15Why India-US semi-conductor agreement matters
Diplomacy2023.03.11India-China conflict likely to escalate: US intelligence report
