Saudi Arabia and progress on its anniversary
Saudi Arabia, Politics, 9/25/2000

Saudi Arabia on Saturday September 23, celebrated its foundation anniversary at the hand of the late King Abdul Aziz al-Saud who united the various parts of the country and announced it as a united country in 1932, with the Islamic Sharia as its constitution.

During the rule of the late King Abdul Aziz foundations of stability and building up of the country were established. The same policy was pursued by his successors who assumed power in the Kingdom after his death in 1953 and Saudi Arabia has become of a considerable Arab, regional and international importance. It could attain a solid and strong economy and invest its oil revenues, as a main resource, in the internal building of the country on a large scale.

Under the rule of King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz a qualitative change has been introduced in the ruling system after the king issued four new legislation which are " the law's basic constituent," " the Shoura council law," the regions law" and the "Cabinet law." Through these laws the formations of the administrative and executive authorities were set for every four years with the aim of employing young national cadres and revitalizing their role.

The development march in Saudi Arabia was characterized by balance, comprehensiveness and balancing between building up and economic development on the one hand and traditional values on the other. Saudi Arabia proceeds in its 6th five-year plan 1995- 2000. The non oil GNP in Saudi Arabia achieved a positive growth in 1997 estimated at 7.1% and the outcome was estimated at 547 billion Riyals. The contribution of the domestic sector in the GNP in the same year reached 47%. In 1996, the value of Saudi exports reached 227.4 billion Riyals. Saudi Arabia exports its products to more than 120 countries all over the world. Chemical and Plastic exports reached in 1997 some 17.3 billion Riyals as a result of large investments in petrochemical industries of high technology.

Saudi Arabia occupies 26th position in the list of countries exporting commodities in the world and has become the third greatest country in the world in exporting nitrogen fertilizers.

Trade balance in Saudi Arabia registered a positive growth in 1997 reached 8% and the current account achieved a surplus estimated at 870 billion riyals in the same year.

The Kingdom has also developed and renovated trade and investment systems so as to achieve the requirements of merging with the international economy and to comply with the rules of the World Trade Organization. In line with its policies to encouraging and backing the private sector into investment and effective participation in the national economy, Saudi Arabia has approved a strategy on privatization and formed a ministerial committee to follow up its implementation.

The Kingdom achieved an important development in the agricultural sector and attained self-sufficiency in several agricultural produce. It has become a producing and exporting country after being an importer, especially in wheat, dairy products, palm and poultry and its production of wheat in 1992 reached 4.2 million tons. The agricultural sector reached 8.4 % and its contribution to the GNP was 32.2 billion riyals.

Saudi Arabia is considered the greatest producers of desalinized water in the world. Production capacity is estimated at 2 million cubic meters every day of water and 3600 Megawatt of electricity through operating 25 desalinization stations at 15 sites on the coasts.

In the sectors of education, services, health, culture, information, telecommunications and air and sea transport a parallel development was maintained. Number of schools increased to 33,000 which have 4.5 million students of both sexes besides some 300,000 university and colleges students.

Cultural centers, periodicals, libraries and cultural clubs were established. Number of daily papers increased to 12, including three in English. Radio and TV transmission covers all parts of Saudi Arabia and the neighboring states and through satellites it reaches most parts of the world.

In 1996 total number of hospitals in Saudi Arabia reached 290 of which 176 are owned by the government. The Saudi government provides great support in the areas of social care and social insurance, the development of sport and tourism firms, development of local communities.

A huge expansion in al-Haram mosque in Mecca and in the prophet Muhammad's mosque in al-Madina al-Munawara. At the meantime, al-Haram has a capacity of 773,000 persons in ordinary times and almost one million persons at al-Haj and the feats seasons.

In its foreign policy, Saudi Arabia pursued a principled policy, especially backing Arab and Islamic solidarity, defending just Arab causes in international circles, non- intervention in the affairs of others. Saudi Arabia is among the donating state of aids in regard to its GNP as it donates 5.45 % of it. Some 73 world countries had made use of 71 billion US $ Saudi Arabia had offered during the two past decades, while the Saudi Fund for development offered loans estimated at 21.4 billion riyals to finance 305 projects in 63 countries in the same period and Saudi Arabia had canceled its debts on developing countries estimated at $ 310 million.

While celebrating its national day, Saudi Arabia is proceeding forward in its development plans towards more progress and modernization for the welfare and prosperity of the Saudi people.

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