Ain-Al-Yaqeen - October 8, 2004

		October 8, 2004

"THE NATIONAL DAY"

CELEBRATION OF THE 74TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA.
ACHIEVEMENTS IN ALL FIELDS BASED ON STRONG BELIEFS AND RELENTLESS EFFORTS.

The 74th Saudi National Day was celebrated on the 23rd September. For Saudis and, indeed, for others in the region, the Saudi National Day celebrates one of the most important events of the 20th century, the founding of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by the late King Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud (God Bless his soul).

Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud (Ibn Saud) was born in Riyadh in 1880. He was born into the Al Saud family which, in the previous century, had consolidated its authority across much of the Arabian peninsula but, at the time of Ibn Saud's birth, had seen its power greatly diminished. Indeed, in 1890, under threat from the Al Rashid, Ibn Saud went with his family into exile to Kuwait where he spent his early years.

In Kuwait, as Ibn Saud grew to manhood, his thoughts were focused on reclaiming his family's domains, now occupied by the Al Rashid. He had spent long enough in exile. He judged that if, with God's help, he could take Riyadh, the people of Nejd would support the Al Saud and help him to oust the Rashid.

Abdul Aziz, son of Abdul Rahman, was deeply concerned with thoughts of his home territory, Nejd, the land of his ancestors. He anticipated that he would some day go back again and regain control of that part of Arabia.

In 1902 (1319/20 AH) Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud (Ibn Saud) retook the city of Riyadh and established his rule over that area. From 1902 through 1926 (1319 - 1445 AH), in an outstanding example of leadership, energy and skill, Ibn Saud consolidated the unity of most of the Arabian Peninsula.

When he was twenty-one, Abdul Aziz (Ibn Saud) decided to move on Riyadh.

The difficulties of taking Riyadh with so small a force were obvious and intimidating. Abdul Aziz asked for volunteers to accompany him in the execution of a plan which seemed to have only its boldness to recommend it.

With forty of his devoted friends, he left Kuwait in December 1901 (1318/19 AH) and reached Riyadh in January. The account of Abdul Aziz (Ibn Saud)'s assault on the Masmak fort and his retaking of Riyadh from the Rashid is perhaps the most dramatic of all the stories of modern Arabia. In its daring and determination, it was a sure indication of the true character of the man who was to found the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The garrison of Riyadh was utterly demoralized by the unexpected attack. Assuming that such an assault could have been mounted only by a large and well-equipped force, and perceiving that the population of the city welcomed the return of the Al Saud, they surrendered without further resistance.

In September 1932 (1350/51 AH), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was founded and officially acquired its present name.

King Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud was a tall, imposing figure, a natural leader of men. He knew instinctively how to judge men and, as his rule progressed, how best to exploit the natural resources of his country for the benefit of his people. His achievement, the unification of many warring tribes all proud of their own lineage and traditions, laid the foundations for the modern state of Saudi Arabia. His success derived from his faith in Islam and his determination to maintain and build on the traditions of the region. It is the unique combination of faith and respect for tradition, while adapting to the technological developments of modern world, which characterizes the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia today.

King Saud was the second King of Saudi Arabia, reigning from 1953 to 1964. Saud became Crown Prince in 1933 and succeeded to the Saudi throne on the death of his father, King Abdul Aziz (Ibn Saud), in 1953. He established the Council of Ministers and set up the Ministries of Commerce, Education and Health. During his reign, the King Saud University was opened in Riyadh.

King Faisal was the third King of Saudi Arabia, reigning from 1964 to 1975. In 1925, Faisal, in command of his father's arms, won a decisive victory in the Hijaz. Faisal became viceroy of the Hijaz, thus extending King Abdul Aziz's remit to the west of the peninsula.

Following the formation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Faisal was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1932. Faisal served as Prime Minister under King Saud.

In 1964, Faisal was named regent and, a few months later in the same year, became king.

Although a great respecter of tradition, King Faisal proved to be a far-sighted innovator. In the course of his reign, Faisal initiated a number of major economic and social development plans. Under Faisal, the industrial development of the Kingdom began in earnest. In foreign policy, King Faisal showed a resolute commitment to the essential interests of the Arab and Islamic world.

King Khalid was the fourth King of Saudi Arabia, reigning from 1975 to 1982. Khalid succeeded to the throne on the death of King Faisal. Khalid who, like his father was most at home in the desert, assumed his new and heavy responsibilities with dignity. He already had considerable experience of government, having served as Governor of the Hijaz from 1932 to 1934 and as Minister of the Interior (appointed 1934).

As King, and with Fahd at his side as First Deputy Premier, Khalid achieved much in both domestic and foreign policy, despite a heart condition which would have deterred a less committed individual from such strenuous and stressful activity. Not long after his accession, Khalid launched the second Five Year Plan which set in train much of the infrastructural development on which the future health and prosperity of the Kingdom was to depend. He involved himself in the intractable Lebanese civil war; he convened the historic summit of Arab nations in Taif and the Holy City of Makkah in 1981; and he inaugurated the Gulf Co-operation Council in the same year.

King Fahd, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, is the fifth King of Saudi Arabia.

King Fahd has brought to his high office a wide range of experience in a number of key posts. He was appointed the first Saudi Arabian Minister of Education in 1953. He served at that Ministry for five years, laying the foundations for the Kingdom's ambitious and successful educational program. He became Minister of the Interior in 1962, holding this key position for thirteen years - in the course of which he ensured the Ministry could discharge all its functions as efficiently as any such organization in the world. In 1975, when he became Crown Prince, he had, with consummate grasp of the complexities of the task, undertaken the supervision of both the planning and the implementation of the Kingdom's second and subsequent five year plans.

It has been, however, in the field of international diplomacy, that Fahd bin Abdul Aziz as king has made his greatest contribution. Working tirelessly, he has brought to bear on the intractable problems of the region his own remarkable subtlety of mind combined with great tenacity of purpose to find, whenever possible, peaceful solutions, based on justice. In the pursuit of this goal, he was always ready to deploy the status and the resources of the Kingdom.

As monarch, King Fahd's first concern has had to be the security and stability of the country. This is the primary responsibility of any Head of Government but, in the case of Saudi Arabia, the responsibility is of paramount importance since the Kingdom is home to the Holy Cities of Makkah and Madinah and their guardianship is an integral part of the monarch's responsibility.

Achieving security and stability has not always been entirely straightforward. King Fahd has been helped by the tradition of consultation, which permeates Saudi society. There have always been channels for every party to express their views. That has not necessarily helped King Fahd to find solutions but it has made him and his Government aware of any problems and sensitive to the balance of opinion on any issue.

In every act of diplomacy, King Fahd has sought to negotiate peace with justice. In the Iraq/Iran war, in Lebanon, in the Gulf war, in Bosnia and, above all, in Palestine, King Fahd has used his good offices to try to find just solutions to intractable problems. Even in the most vexed of issues, border disputes, the Kingdom, under King Fahd, has tried to resolve argument by international arbitration rather than force. The agreement with Yemen on the delineation of the Saudi/Yemen border is a model of the civilized way to resolve such matters.

At the same time, King Fahd has never been an advocate of peace at any price. When circumstances have necessitated it, King Fahd has always been prepared to place his authority behind a just cause and devote whatever resources are required to support it. Saudi troops led the way into Kuwait against the Iraqi invasion force and, whenever the Palestinians have needed help, the Kingdom has been unstinting in the humanitarian aid it has supplied.

It is difficult to find a corner of the world where Saudi Arabia, under King Fahd, has not made a contribution, either in humanitarian aid (which flows forth as soon as a need is recognized) or in promulgating Islam by building Mosques and Islamic centers and by distributing copies of the Holy Quran.

At home, King Fahd's achievements speak for themselves. Those visitors to the Kingdom who have known the country throughout King Fahd's reign will attest to the extraordinary development of the Kingdom's infrastructure, education, health services, agriculture and industry over the last twenty-five years. But King Fahd's legacy at home is not the buildings, the roads, the ports and airports; it is the people who, through education and social services, have been transformed from simple, generally illiterate, tribesmen or traders into literate individuals capable of holding their own and competing in the modern world.

Of course the foundations for much of this achievement were laid down by King Fahd's predecessors but the drive and determination to make what seemed impossible happen over the last twenty-five years belonged to King Fahd.

The Consultative Council, or Majlis Al-Shoura (established by Royal Decree No. A/91, dated 27-8-1412) marked a significant move towards the formalization of the participative nature of government in Saudi Arabia. The Consultative Council was inaugurated by King Fahd himself in December, 1993. The announcement of the establishment of the Council, which coincided with the tenth anniversary of the accession of King Fahd and which was accompanied by details of a new "basic law", clearly marked the first steps towards a more broadly based involvement in the Kingdom's political processes.

The primary function of the broadly-based Majlis Al-Shoura is to provide the King with advice on issues of importance in the Kingdom.

The Consultative Council, when set up, consisted of a speaker and 60 members selected by the King. The Royal Decree establishing the Council made it clear, first and foremost, that the Council was set up and would operate:

"in compliance with [the existing system of government in the Kingdom] and in adherence to the Book of God and the tradition of His Messenger."

The term of the Majlis Al-Shoura is set at four years (Hijira Calendar), with a clear stipulation that, when a new Shoura Council is formed, at least half of those appointed must be new members.

(The setting of fixed terms in this instance may indicate a shift away from past policy of indefinite tenure of political office.)

The scope of matters on which the Council may deliberate was very widely defined. The members of the initial Council were chosen to represent a wide mix of clan and religious leaders, business and professional men, as well as government officials. Academics formed the largest group, however, and there is an impressive number of members with advanced degrees.

Members of the new majlis will meet regularly in Riyadh in full session. Council members are expected to devote themselves

"to serve the common interest, preservation of the unity of the people, the entity of the state and the interests of the nation".

In practice, members of the Council are able to initiate legislation and review the domestic and foreign policies of the government. Any government action not approved by the Council will have to be referred back to the King. The King therefore remains the final arbiter of state affairs. The King also retains the power to appoint and dismiss both Ministers and Council members and has the power to dissolve the Council, restructure it, and appoint a new one at any time.

In 1997, King Fahd increased membership of the Consultative Council to 90 members. In 2001, the membership of the Consultative Council was again increased, on this occasion to 120.

By 1998, the Council was well established and operating effectively. In addition to its defined role in the political process, it had established a library containing more than 25,000 volumes, together with 305 periodicals in a number of languages as well as Arabic, and a total of more than 6,000 slides.

In grasping the significance of these measures, it is important to understand that the Kingdom's purpose in establishing the Majlis Al-Shoura and in introducing other planned reforms is to provide an institutional framework through which the traditional form of Saudi Arabian government, based on consultation within the context of the tenets and requirements of Islam, can be most effectively expressed in today's increasingly complex and interdependent world.

The reforms can be seen as marking an important new chapter in the life of the Kingdom and King Fahd's desire to hasten the pace of modernization within the religious and cultural traditions of the Kingdom. The oil wealth has transformed the economy and infrastructure of Saudi Arabia in the past three decades. These measures mark the start of a cumulative process facilitating the modernization of Saudi Arabian government.

The reforms do not, however, mean that the Kingdom has moved away from its Islamic traditions. King Fahd himself stressed that his reforms were based on Islamic principles of fairness, decency and popular consultation.

In essence, the Consultative Council should be seen, not as a modest move towards Western-style democracy, but as an organic development of the consultative processes on which the Kingdom has been governed since its inception, processes which arose from a tradition that goes back to the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

On the 30th August, 1999, a royal decree was issued by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz announcing the formation of the Supreme Economic Council. The eleven-member Council was to be chaired by Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard. The decree said the formation of the new body had been prompted by the crucial role played by economic affairs in the countries of the world, their direct influence on the interests of citizens and the need to involve a wide circle of contributors in economic policy-making in the changing economic world of today.

The statement confirmed that the economic policy of the Kingdom was based on the pillars of comprehensive social welfare, the concept of a free economy, and a free market for capital, goods, services and products in order to secure the following goals:

the welfare of society, provision of jobs and optimum use of manpower, control of public debt within secure and reasonable limits, fair distribution of national income and opportunities for investment and labor, diversification of the economic base and increase in the sources of public revenues, development of savings and development of saving channels and frameworks for safe investment, increase of the income of the state and linking it with the movement and growth of the national economy, increase of investment of domestic capital and savings in the national economy, increase of the contribution of the private sector, expansion of its contribution to the national economy and contribution to the Government's program for privatization, enhancement of the ability of the national economy to cope efficiently with international economic changes.

The Kingdom is committed to developing tourism as part of its overall economic diversification strategy. The Tourism Higher Authority has been given the task of overseeing a massive expansion in the Kingdom's tourist facilities and services.

Part of the plan is to train and employ a large number of young Saudis in this expanding industry. In 2001, Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, laid the foundation stone of the Prince Sultan College for Tourist and Hotel Management in its new location in Sultan City along Abha regional airport road.

Amongst the various tourist expansion projects is "Al-Hada Resort, Cable Car and Al-Kar Tourist Village" project in Taif Governorate, the first phase of which was launched in 2001. The SR 70 million-project, in its first phase, includes the 4,200 meters-long cable car route that connects the high altitude area of Al-Hada with the low altitude area of Al-Kar village. It includes hotels, restaurants, family parks and playgrounds.

In January, 2003, Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz, Secretary General of the Tourism Higher Authority, announced the launch of a period of intensive development of tourism in the Kingdom, during which "efforts would be intensified, capabilities mobilized, and tourism organizations established".

Addressing the third session of the Saudi-Lebanese Economic Forum, he emphasized that the Authority would fully cooperate with various partners in public and private sectors, and with individuals through executive plans, timed programs and other mechanisms, to develop national tourism and facilitate an environment of tourist investment.

The Prince predicted that there would be 45.3 million tourists in the year 2020, and a tourist expenditure of 80 billion riyals. He noted that this would require great investment from the private sector, to provide 50,000 hotel rooms and 74,000 housing units, and to train and qualify between 1.5 and 2.3 million Saudi nationals to work in the sector.

Through the good offices of the Tourism Higher Authority, the energies of various ministries and other organizations are contributing to the development of tourism.

When, in January, 2003, Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz, Secretary General of the Tourism Higher Authority, inaugurated a workshop on the preparation of natural heritage sites for tourism, the session was attended by Dr Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz bin Muammar, the Minister of Agriculture, and Dr Abdul Aziz bin Hamid Abu Zinadah, Secretary General of the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and its Development (NCWCD). On that occasion, Prince Sultan pointed out that Saudi tourism has reached a phase of intensive development. He affirmed that the Authority would cooperate fully with partners in public and private sectors, via executive plans, staged programs and other mechanisms, in order to accomplish this goal.

On 10th April, 2000, it was announced that the Cabinet had approved the formation of the General Commission for Investment (GCI). At the same time, the Cabinet dissolved the Saudi Consulting House and transferred all its duties and rights to the newly-established GCI.

The Council of Ministers was established in 1953 by King Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud (Ibn Saud).

Under the bylaws promulgated in September 1993 by King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz, the Council has responsibility for drafting and overseeing the implementation of internal, external, financial, economic, educational and defense policies, and general affairs of state.

The Council meets weekly, currently on Mondays, and is presided over by the King or his deputy.

The Kingdom on the 3rd of August 2003, took a further step towards fostering a national dialogue between people who hold different views by establishing a centre for national dialogue

Addressing the nation Crown Prince Abdullah, Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard, announced that Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz approved the establishment of King Abdul Aziz Centre for National Dialogue. He said that the Centre would serve as a platform for continuing and expanding the scope of dialogue in the Kingdom, based on two pillars: the Islamic Sharia and national integrity.

The Crown Prince stressed that the Kingdom, home of Islam's two Holy Mosques, will uphold moderation, reject extremism and moral laxity.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz approved on the 9th March 2004 the establishment of a National Society for Human Rights.

In a cable sent to Head of the Society, Dr Abdullah bin Salih Al-Obaid, and founding members, King Fahd said that the Society will operate in accordance with the constitution of the Kingdom, based on the Holy Quran and Sunnah (teachings of the Prophet) and the Sharia law, which promotes protection and preservation of human rights. The Society will implement Article 26 of the Kingdom's Governing Statute, which states that the government protects human rights in accordance with the Sharia.

Of all the projects undertaken by Saudi Arabia during the reign of King Fahd, the expansion of the Holy Mosques in the Holy Cities of Makkah and Madinah stands apart as central to the King's and the Kingdom's purpose. As Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Fahd has spared no effort and no expense in developing the Two Holy Mosques to accommodate in safety the vast numbers of pilgrims who visit the Kingdom each year, while at the same time taking great care to ensure that the expansion is entirely consistent with the architectural design of the existing structures.

The Project of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz to expand the Holy Harram (Grand Mosque) in Makkah and the Prophet's Mosque in Al-Madinah reflects the Kingdom's dedication to the service of Islam and Muslims. King Fahd has accorded the expansion project priority in the Kingdom's development plans, and has personally overseen realisation of the project's goals.

Under directives of the King, the government has spent over SR70 billion on the expansion project in the past few years alone.

With implementation of the expansion program, the area of the Grand Mosque now totals 356,000 square-metres. The mosque used to cover an area of 152,000 square-metres. The mosque can now receive 770,000 worshippers, compared to 340,000 worshippers previously. The project includes the area surrounding the mosque, covering over 40,000 square-metres, which can accommodate more than 65,000 worshippers.

The Prophet's Mosque in Al-Madinah was expanded to cover a total area of 165,000 square-metres in order to accommodate more than 270,000 worshipers. The area surrounding the mosque was extended to 235,000 square-metres to receive 430,000 worshippers.

One of the most important projects is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Complex for Printing the Holy Quran which has produced over 180 million copies of the Holy Quran during the past 20 years.

A latest annual report issued by the Complex said that it has distributed 173 million copies of the Holy Quran in Arabic thus far. The Complex also produces copies of the Holy Quran with interpretation in various languages of the world.

Establishment of the Complex was part of the Kingdom's pioneering role in serving Islam and Muslims worldwide and reflected recognition of the importance of having a specialized body for service of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah (teachings of the Prophet).

The Madinah-based Complex is spread over an area of 250,000 square-metres, and has capacity to produce 10 million copies of the Holy Quran annually. It also produces books on the Sunnah and the history of the Prophet.

The Complex provides interpretations of the Holy Quran in 44 languages, including 23 Asian, 10 European and 11 African languages.

A number of distinguished Ulema (Muslim scholars) and professors work in the Complex.

The true wealth of any nation is its people, for it is their ability to manage the country's existing resources and to identify and develop new ones which determines the prosperity of the economy and the health of society for present and future generations.

Mindful of the need to ensure that the Kingdom's population should be equal to the challenges of the developmental process, the government has devoted vast resources to a program covering primary, secondary and higher levels of education. All the Kingdom's Development Plans have taken into account the educational aspirations of the Saudi people, providing free education to all. The educational system has been continuously and systematically expanded to accommodate the ever-growing demand for educational services. Through this investment, the Kingdom has been able to guarantee equality of opportunity for all and to ensure that the Kingdom's need for an educated and trained national workforce to carry forward the Kingdom's future development can be fulfilled.

There were 2,539,188 students at various stages of general education [administered by] the Ministry of Education during the academic year 1423H-1424H. These students are pursuing their academic studies in 14,600 schools and they are assisted in their educational pursuit by more than 196,000 teachers.

The number of the health units of the schools of the Education Ministry amounted to 107, including 43 major units in some big cities.

At the same time, the Ministry of Education has been giving utmost attention to the schools of the Holy Quran Memorization. The first Holy Quran Memorization school was established in Madinah in 1367H, but during the academic year 1424H-1425H the number of these schools jumped to 628 with 68,638 students and 6,321 teachers.

As regards the illiteracy eradication schools, their number in the academic year 1424H-1425H, amounted to 1,110 with 28,000 students.

The number of the schools allocated for the children with learning difficulties amounted to 494 in the academic year 1424H-1425H, with 12,843 students and 3,370 teachers.

The number of female Saudi students reached 2,000,311 during the academic year 1423-1424H. The students pursued their studies in 15,800 schools, staffed by over 219,470 female teachers and 14,500 female administrators.

The number of primary schools for girls amounted to 6, 670, with 1,176,690 female students and over 107,889 female teachers. The number of intermediate schools reached 3,127, with more than 548,483 female students and 50,013 female teachers. There were 1,981 secondary schools, with 463,526 female students and 36,176 female teachers.

The number of secondary institutes for female teachers reached 78, with 6,045 female students. The number of special education institutes amounted to 85, with 5,044 female students. And there were 677 Holy Quran memorization schools, with 76,787 female students and 7,437 female teachers.

The government of Saudi Arabia accords significant attention to the Saudi health sector in order to raise the level of health services and facilities in the Kingdom and enhance the well-being of citizens.

A latest report issued by the Ministry of Health attributes the significant development and progress of the health attention accorded it by the government of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz, the Crown Prince and the Second Deputy Premier.

The Health Ministry report said that the total number of government and private hospitals reached 333 by the year 1423H, with a capacity of 47,393 beds, of which 193 were government hospitals, with a capacity of 28,488 beds. The report said that there are currently 15,602 doctors, 37,215 nurses and 22,650 paramedics employed in the Kingdom.

Saudi Arabia's 3,657 productive factories employ 340,000 people, reflecting the Kingdom's continuing leap forward in its industrial development and provision of employment.

Up to the end of the first quarter of this year (1425 H), a huge amount of SR 256 billions were invested in these factories. These factories are engaged in production of chemical and plastic products as well as ceramics, building materials, textiles, ready-made garments, metals, equipment and foodstuffs.

In 2003, the Kingdom exported more than SR 35.7 billion worth of non-oil industrial products to more than 120 countries. The Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), which was established in 1396H, has become one of the pillars of the large-scale industrial development in the country. SABIC's marketing activities cover more than 90 countries. In 2003, its productive capacity reached more than 42.3 million metric tons. Currently, the Kingdom enjoys the benefit of 14 industrial cities, encompassing an area of more than 92 million square meters. The industrial sector in the Kingdom includes the petrochemical industries, the oil refining industry and the manufacturing industries.

The number of the licensed commercial bodies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reached 543,000 in 1423H, according to a report of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The number of companies up to the end of 1423H reached 11,662, with a capital of more than SR. 171.4 billions.

The number of the offices providing services in various fields reached 4,959, while the number of trade agencies registered up the end of 1423H reached 7,958.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has been keen to license more hotels and apartments in different cities. The number of hotels now totals 861 and apartments account for 1,063 with a capacity of 142,000 rooms and 22,749 furnished units for the apartments.

The Saudi leadership has consistently promoted progress in the Kingdom's agriculture sector. Saudi agriculture policy aims to encourage and support farmers by providing soft and interest-free loans, distributing farm land, and purchasing products from farmers at subsidised prices.

In spite of the scarcity of water in the Kingdom, Saudi Arabia has succeeded in accomplishing broad agricultural development aimed at achieving a balance between water and food security.

Production of food grains declined from 4.86 million to 2.592 million during the period from 1994 to 2003 in favour of an increase in production of vegetables and fruits. The area allocated for the production of vegetables now amounts to over 114 hectares, and that for fruits totals 198 hectares. Approximately 2,200 million tons of fresh vegetables and 1,333 million tons of fruits were produced last year.

The Kingdom produced 468,000 tons of chicken, 2,498 million eggs, 333,000 cows, 16,824 million sheep and 824,000 camels last year.

During the past year, 11,000 fishing boats, with manpower of 25,000, were deployed in the field of fisheries.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia occupies the highest rank among all the states of the world in the production of potable water from the sea. The General Organization of Sea Water Desalination was formed to supervise all desalination projects in the Kingdom. The volume of production capacity of the desalination stations in 1994 (1414/15 AH) had reached 714,218,000 gallons per day, which enabled the Kingdom, after covering the needs of the cities and villages on its eastern and western coasts for potable water, to introduce desalinated sea water into the heart of the Arabian Peninsula for the first time in its history.

The volume of production capacity of the desalination stations in 1999 enabled the Kingdom, after covering the potable water needs of the cities and villages on its eastern and western coasts, to introduce desalinated water into the heart of the Arabian Peninsula.

It now feeds Riyadh, the capital, with potable water from the Gulf, 500 kilometers away, and feeds the Holy City of Madinah with potable water from the Red Sea 200 kilometers away. Work is being undertaken to transport desalinated water to the Holy City of Makkah, the summer resort of Taif, and the region of Asir in the south of the Kingdom, which has meant that subterranean water can be allocated to agricultural purposes.

Desalination now forms part of the responsibilities of the Ministry of Water & Electricity.

The social services provisions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are extensive by any standards. The Fourth Five Year Development Plan (1405-1410 AH: 1985-1990) set out clearly the philosophy behind the Kingdom's extensive social services program:

The social services are designed to redress existing imbalances, to improve living standards and the quality of life of the population, to stimulate citizen participation in community development activities, and to provide remedial care and assistance for the disabled and the deprived.

There are a number of social service agencies whose task it is to remedy social problems, many of which are created by the process of social development itself.

The government takes the view that poverty and deprivation are not necessarily due to the failure of individuals to meet their own needs. Most of these problems are a result of broader external conditions in society as a whole, and will not solve themselves. Public and private interventions are necessary to improve the conditions of the individual and the community. The Social Services agencies will continue to pay attention to the development of Saudi society, to assist in improving the standard of living, and to take steps to redress some of the social imbalances which have become salient during this period of rapid economic change.

Amongst the social services provided by the state are wide-ranging programs designed to improve living conditions for the population and to smooth the processes related to the rapid transformation of the socio-economic system. There are a number of social rehabilitation, care and remedial services, designed to assist the physically or mentally disadvantaged, to protect vulnerable members of society, and to deal with such problems as juvenile delinquency. Special attention is given to raising the living standards of the poorest sections of the community, particularly in the villages and the less developed districts of the towns and cities.

The General Presidency of Youth Welfare is responsible for the plastic arts movement in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It prepares both an annual and a five year plan for the encouragement and development of the arts.

Within the Kingdom it organizes regular competitions and exhibitions. Abroad, it arranges exhibitions of Saudi Arabian art to provide Saudi artists with an international forum and to strengthen cultural ties with the host countries. The Presidency has organized exhibitions of Saudi Arabian art in the following Arab countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates. Outside the Arab world, the General Presidency of youth Welfare has organized exhibitions in India, Italy, Mexico, Sweden, Turkey, Germany and the United States of America.

The Presidency is also an active participant in the Arab Youth Festivals and Exhibitions, the Kuwait Exhibition for Plastic Artists and other periodic exhibitions in Europe, Asia and India and takes part in the Biannual Arab Exhibition which is supervised by the Arab Plastic Artists Union.

Two other organizations play a key role in the artistic life of the Kingdom: The Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts; and The King Fahd Cultural Center.

Within the Arab world, the Kingdom, which has worked tirelessly to create and enhance Arab solidarity, has persistently pursued a policy designed to resolve disputes by diplomatic means.

In its relations with the major industrialized powers (the United States of America, Western Europe and Japan), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has always recognized the economic interdependence which must exist between those who need oil and the country which holds 25% of the world's oil reserves, and has endeavored to stabilize the oil price at a level which takes account of the needs of both net producers and net consumers.

At the same time, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is part of the Arab world and, above all, has been entrusted with the guardianship of the Holy Places of Islam. Both its Arab and its Muslim heritage mean that its basic political tenets and its foreign policy objectives are sometimes not co-incident with those of other political and economic power blocs.

The Co-operation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, more commonly known as the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), was founded on 22 Rajab 1401 AH (25th May, 1981), when the kings and princes of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman and the United Arab Emirates signed the new organization's constitution.

The constitution of the GCC requires the organization to provide "the means for realizing co-ordination, integration and co-operation" in economic, social and cultural affairs.

In its relations with the wider Arab world, the Kingdom's policy is to assist in the economic and social development of less wealthy Arab countries and to use its substantial diplomatic influence to resolve inter-Arab disputes wherever possible.

In pursuit of these aims, the Kingdom plays an active role as a member of many pan-Arab and Muslim organizations.

Through these organizations, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia deploys its energies and resources for the advancement of Islamic and Arab unity, and to assist in the economic and social development of the Arab world.