THE Kingdom has made phenomenal progress in all fields since King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, assumed the throne six years ago, according to the Hijri calendar. During this time, the Kingdom embarked upon developmental projects worth billions of riyals even as a major recession affected well-established businesses around the world. In statements on the occasion, senior ministers, princes and high-ranking officials lauded the major achievements of King Abdullah. Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that upon becoming king, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques pledged to his people to take the Qur'an as the constitution and Islam as the method, and that King Abdullah's primary concern was to “bring justice and serve all the people of this country”. He said that the last six years had seen “uncomfortable regional and international developments” bringing challenges that King Abdullah “has handled wisely and prudently”. “He has balanced efforts between solving issues and preventing further threats to the Kingdom and keeping the internal development process on course and extending to all social, economic, cultural and scientific areas,” Prince Saud said. Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeah, Minister of Health, said that the six years of King Abdullah's reign had brought considerable development to the health sector and a budget for the ministry of SR16 billion to create medical cities across the country. “Those cities are a significant addition to the array of specialist hospitals and medical centers across the country performing complex heart operations, organ transplants and radiation treatment and other rare fields,” Al-Rabeah said. “All of this spares citizens the burden of having to travel long distances as they can now find treatment in their own regions.” President of Imam Muhammad Bin Saud Islamic University, Solaiman Aba Al-Khail described the sixth anniversary of King Abdullah's ascension to the throne as a “date dear to every Saudi's heart”. “What the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques has achieved is impossible to put into words,” he said. Sheikh Muhammad Bin Fahd Aal Abdullah, Chairman of the Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution, said the Monarch has personally overseen the mega development projects being carried out all over the Kingdom. These projects have been designed to meet all educational, economic and social requirements of citizens, reflected in the specialist medical and industrial cities, professional institutions and scientific research centers. The King has also made sure that various social funds received more money, which is further evidence of his concern for the welfare of citizens. Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Humayyen Al-Humayyen, General President of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, said: “We are very grateful to Almighty Allah for blessing the Kingdom with a judicious and farsighted leadership. By all standards King Abdullah's era is a new dawn in the history of the Kingdom. He is leading the Kingdom to greater success. This explains why the Kingdom is acknowledged by the entire world community for its unlimited contribution to the welfare and prosperity of mankind.” Dr. Ali Bin Nasser Al-Ghafis, Governor of the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, said the progress of the Kingdom has ensured it is ranked as an advanced country. He said the King has placed an emphasis on youth training because he considers them the pillars of the country.
