Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Saudi Arabia)
Encyclopedia
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs ( Wizārat al-Khārijīyah) is the ministry responsible for handling the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
's external relations
. The ministry oversees "political, cultural and financial international relations" and monitors the Kingdom's diplomatic relations. It was created in 1930 by a royal decree issued by King Abdul Aziz Al Saud
. The head of the ministry, the Foreign Minister, is a member of the Saudi Council of Ministers.
, established foreign diplomatic relations by sending representatives and receiving delegations from various states. In 1926, he established the Directorate General for Foreign Affairs in Mecca
. In 1930, a royal decree was issued to elevate the directorate general to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. King Abdul Aziz appointed his son (and future king) Prince Faisal
as the first Foreign Minister. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was formally established
by King Abdul Aziz in 1932.
The ministry began establishing diplomatic missions abroad. The number of missions increased from five in 1936 to 18 in 1951 and expanded further after that.
Aside from a brief interjection, Prince Faisal continued to serve even after he succeeded the throne as King. After his assassination in 1975, Faisal was succeeded as Foreign Minister by his son, Prince Saud al-Faisal
. Saud is currently the longest-serving foreign minister of any country in history.
It is rumored that the next Foreign Minister will be Prince Turki al-Faisal, Saud's younger brother, after Saud retires.
Previous Ministers of State:
was designed by Henning Larsen
. It blends both vernacular and monumental styles of Islamic architecture
.
Built in 1984, building consists of meeting, conference and prayer rooms, a library and a banquet hall. Externally, the building appears as a fortress that was carved out of a single piece of stone.
Larsen received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture
in 1989 for his work on the building.
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
's external relations
Foreign relations of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is a non-aligned state whose foreign policy objectives are to maintain its security and its paramount position on the Arabian Peninsula, defend general Arab and Islamic interests, promote solidarity among Islamic governments, and maintain cooperative relations with other oil-producing...
. The ministry oversees "political, cultural and financial international relations" and monitors the Kingdom's diplomatic relations. It was created in 1930 by a royal decree issued by King Abdul Aziz Al Saud
Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia
King Abdul-Aziz of Saudi Arabia was the first monarch of the Third Saudi State known as Saudi Arabia. He was commonly referred to as Ibn Saud....
. The head of the ministry, the Foreign Minister, is a member of the Saudi Council of Ministers.
Senior officials
The senior officials in the ministry are as follows:| Official | Rank |
|---|---|
| Prince Saud al-Faisal Saud bin Faisal bin Abdul Aziz Saud bin Faisal bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud , also known as Saud Al Faisal, has been the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia since 1975. He is the world's longest-serving Foreign Minister.... |
Minister |
| Dr. Nizar bin Obaid Madani | Minister of State |
History
While consolidating the newly formed Kingdom of Nejd and Hejaz, King Abdul Aziz Al SaudIbn Saud of Saudi Arabia
King Abdul-Aziz of Saudi Arabia was the first monarch of the Third Saudi State known as Saudi Arabia. He was commonly referred to as Ibn Saud....
, established foreign diplomatic relations by sending representatives and receiving delegations from various states. In 1926, he established the Directorate General for Foreign Affairs in Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
. In 1930, a royal decree was issued to elevate the directorate general to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. King Abdul Aziz appointed his son (and future king) Prince Faisal
Faisal of Saudi Arabia
Faisal bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud was King of Saudi Arabia from 1964 to 1975. As king, he is credited with rescuing the country's finances and implementing a policy of modernization and reform, while his main foreign policy themes were pan-Islamic Nationalism, anti-Communism, and pro-Palestinian...
as the first Foreign Minister. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was formally established
Unification of Saudi Arabia
The unification of Saudi Arabia was the process by which the various tribes, sheikhdoms, and emirates of most of the Arabian Peninsula were consolidated under the control of the House of Saud, or Al Saud, between 1902 and 1932, when the modern-day Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was proclaimed...
by King Abdul Aziz in 1932.
The ministry began establishing diplomatic missions abroad. The number of missions increased from five in 1936 to 18 in 1951 and expanded further after that.
Aside from a brief interjection, Prince Faisal continued to serve even after he succeeded the throne as King. After his assassination in 1975, Faisal was succeeded as Foreign Minister by his son, Prince Saud al-Faisal
Saud bin Faisal bin Abdul Aziz
Saud bin Faisal bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud , also known as Saud Al Faisal, has been the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia since 1975. He is the world's longest-serving Foreign Minister....
. Saud is currently the longest-serving foreign minister of any country in history.
It is rumored that the next Foreign Minister will be Prince Turki al-Faisal, Saud's younger brother, after Saud retires.
List of previous ministers
The following is the list of Ministers of Foreign Affairs since 1930:- Prince Faisal bin Abdul Aziz Al SaudFaisal of Saudi ArabiaFaisal bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud was King of Saudi Arabia from 1964 to 1975. As king, he is credited with rescuing the country's finances and implementing a policy of modernization and reform, while his main foreign policy themes were pan-Islamic Nationalism, anti-Communism, and pro-Palestinian...
(1930–60) - Ibrahim bin Abdullah Al Suwaiyel (1960–62)
- Prince (later King) Faisal bin Abdul Aziz Al SaudFaisal of Saudi ArabiaFaisal bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud was King of Saudi Arabia from 1964 to 1975. As king, he is credited with rescuing the country's finances and implementing a policy of modernization and reform, while his main foreign policy themes were pan-Islamic Nationalism, anti-Communism, and pro-Palestinian...
(1962–75) - Prince Saud al-FaisalSaud bin Faisal bin Abdul AzizSaud bin Faisal bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud , also known as Saud Al Faisal, has been the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia since 1975. He is the world's longest-serving Foreign Minister....
(1975–present)
Previous Ministers of State:
- Omar Al-Saqqaf (1968–74)
- Nizar bin Obaid Madani (2005–present)
Building
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in RiyadhRiyadh
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 5,254,560 people, and the urban center of a...
was designed by Henning Larsen
Henning Larsen
Henning Larsen is a Danish architect.He is internationally known for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Riyadhand the Copenhagen Opera House...
. It blends both vernacular and monumental styles of Islamic architecture
Islamic architecture
Islamic architecture encompasses a wide range of both secular and religious styles from the foundation of Islam to the present day, influencing the design and construction of buildings and structures in Islamic culture....
.
Built in 1984, building consists of meeting, conference and prayer rooms, a library and a banquet hall. Externally, the building appears as a fortress that was carved out of a single piece of stone.
Larsen received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture
Aga Khan Award for Architecture
The Aga Khan Award for Architecture is an architectural prize established by Aga Khan IV in 1977. It aims to identify and reward architectural concepts that successfully address the needs and aspirations of Islamic societies in the fields of contemporary design, social housing, community...
in 1989 for his work on the building.