Another visionary takes the helm
CUSTODIAN of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has taken on his duties during the most testing times in modern history. Yet few leaders can have come to the task better equipped to cope.
The world has still not escaped the leaden weight of recession. More financial turmoil is very possible. The serpent of terrorism slithers further and further afield. Syria continues to bleed pitifully. Its frustrated revolution against an evil dictatorship has spawned the no-lesser evil of the so-called Islamic State.
Iraq, having listened to the siren advice of its neighbor Iran, is in the process of being torn apart. Tehran persists in seeking to foster discord in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states. Its nuclear ambitions remain untamed. Yemen is hurtling downward toward failed state status. And all around the world, Muslims are increasingly finding themselves the targets of religious intolerance, race hate and suspicion.
Only the most experienced of leaders could be expected to fully comprehend such a diversity of awesome challenges. In King Salman, Saudi Arabia has a directing hand well tutored in the complexities of global politics. It also has a ruler who has demonstrated repeatedly his talent for mediation and the creation of compromise. These are qualities that are hugely necessary in these turbulent times. And it is clear the other world players recognize King Salman’s abilities.
US President Barack Obama rearranged his planned journey to India to come to meet the new king and offer his condolences to the Saudi people at the passing of King Abdullah. Obama was not alone in feeling the need to come and consult with King Salman. Other world leaders also attended King Abdullah’s funeral and called on the new king.
Often these encounters were a case of renewing old acquaintances. It is one of King Salman’s great strengths that he brings with him the extraordinary experience of 60 years of public service. This has included meetings with key world leaders over the years. King Salman’s understanding extends beyond individuals. He has come to build up an unrivalled understanding of the often- conflicting priorities that drive international politics.
It could also be argued that the new king will yield to no one when it comes to the development and management of a major world city. For much of his working life, he has been the governor of Riyadh. He has not only seen the city grow from around 250,000 to approaching 8 million people; he has also played a hands-on role in directing and managing that immense expansion. Riyadh is already a striking and ultramodern city. Soon it will have its own mass transit railway system and the King Abdullah Financial District. This has been designed to make the Saudi capital the financial market hub for the GCC as well as the wider Arab world.
Yet for all his long experience of high office and his regular contact with other influential world leaders, King Salman is notable for his humility. This was demonstrated this week by the simple way in which the new king accepted the loyal greetings of a mass of people who gathered outside Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh. There was no distinction between princes and ordinary citizens. There was no strict protocol at all. All visitors were greeted with the same warmth and thanked for their good wishes.
This candor and simplicity is illustrated by a story told of the king’s time as Riyadh governor.
He often took a personal interest in petitions and requests made by the capital’s people. Once, when he contacted the governorate to find out how a particular case was going, he was told the official responsible had gone home early.
He himself telephoned the official and instructed him to return to his desk and sort out the citizen’s problem immediately. The new king is also a stickler for punctuality.
In his first address to his people and the wider world Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman made clear that there was to be no deviation from the sound and wise policies pursued by the late King Abdullah.
He emphasized that Saudi Arabia would maintain its refusal to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. It would also continue to build stronger relations with Gulf, Arab and other Muslim countries. And most importantly, the new king insisted that Saudi Arabia would continue to be guided by the teachings of Islam, which are based upon peace, mercy and moderation.
Only the most experienced of leaders could be expected to fully comprehend such a diversity of awesome challenges.