According to a royal verdict by King Salman and made public by the official Saudi Press Agency on Tuesday, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia has been appointed the country’s prime minister.
The appointment formalizes Prince Mohammed’s position as the head of the kingdom’s administration, while he already serves as the de facto ruler of the greatest oil exporter in the world.
The crown prince, whose initials are MBS, has held the positions of defence minister and deputy prime minister in the past. His younger brother, Khalid bin Salman, who formerly served as deputy defence minister, will now serve as defence minister in his place.
All other key ministers, including Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan, Investment Minister Khalid al-Falih, and Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, were confirmed in their positions by royal order.
The 86-year-old monarch continues a gradual but steady transfer of authority in the country by installing MBS as prime minister, a position that was formerly and customarily held by the king.
The grounds for the appointment were not stated in the royal proclamation issued on Tuesday, but the state-run news agency SPA reported that the monarch, who is still in charge of the country, will continue to preside over cabinet meetings.
The monarch was hospitalized in May for checkups and medical care, according to SPA at the time.
The economy, defence, oil, and internal security were just a few of the important areas that the 37-year-old crown prince already oversaw.
Prince Mohammed unveiled Saudi Arabia’s vision for the future, Vision 2030, in April 2016. The plan aims to make the kingdom the center of the Arab and Islamic worlds, a financial superpower, and a crossroads that connects three continents.
