February 24, PM. Associated Press. More Middle East News. State Department Recap: November , The Day in Photos. November 11, You may also like. There were even calls for him to be replaced as crown prince after the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a prominent critic of the government, was killed by Saudi agents at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in He denied any involvement, but the murder badly damaged his international reputation.
He worked for several state bodies before being appointed special adviser to his father, who was serving as governor of Riyadh, in Mohammed bin Salman's rise to power began in , when he was named head of the Crown Prince's Court, with the rank of minister.
His father had been appointed crown prince the previous year. In January , King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz died and Salman acceded to the throne, appointing his son as minister of defence. One of Mohammed bin Salman's first acts in the post was to launch a military campaign in Yemen in March along with other Arab states. They intervened after the Houthi rebel movement, which they saw as an Iranian proxy, seized control of the capital Sanaa and forced President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi to flee abroad.
The campaign has made limited progress over the past five years. The fighting has also reportedly left more than , people dead; seen Saudi Arabia and its allies being accused of possible war crimes; and triggered the world's worst humanitarian disaster, with millions on the brink of famine. Mohammed bin Salman's power increased with his appointment in April as deputy crown prince, second deputy prime minister and president of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs.
Now in charge of the war in Yemen and Saudi Arabia's economy, his importance as a policymaker became clear the following year when he unveiled an ambitious and wide-ranging plan to bring economic and social change to the kingdom and end its "addiction" to oil. The plan also involved changing the education curriculum, increasing the participation of women in the country's male-dominated workforce, and investing in the entertainment sector to help create jobs for young people.
The prince was also seen as having spearheaded a boycott of fellow Gulf Cooperation Council GCC member Qatar in over its alleged support for terrorism and meddling in its neighbours' affairs - charges Qatar denies. Mohammed bin Salman's ascent continued when in June that year King Salman replaced the crown prince - his nephew, Mohammed bin Nayef - with his son.
The new crown prince subsequently sought to consolidate his power, launching a crackdown against perceived opponents. More than 20 influential clerics and intellectuals were detained as the authorities targeted a group allegedly acting on behalf of "foreign parties against the security of the kingdom".
When King Salman announced despite objections from conservatives that a bar on women drivers would end in June in Saudi Arabia - the last country in the world where such a prohibition existed - Mohammed bin Salman was given much of the credit.
This was followed by the crown prince's declaration that the return of "moderate Islam" was key to his plans to modernise the kingdom , and his launch of a sweeping anti-corruption drive.
Ostensibly aimed at recovering a fortune in ill-gotten gains, many analysts said the purge of powerful princes and business figures removed the final obstacles to Mohammed bin Salman gaining total control of the kingdom. Of course, the whole possibility of establishing a direct vertical line of succession only became possible after the passing of Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who himself had no children.
Moreover, in both the political and petroleum sectors he is chairman of the executive offices, giving him leadership experience and expanded influence over both the political and economic sides of governance.
The impact on each particular state of this shift in succession norms will depend on the character and capabilities of the new ruler. Yet some general conclusions seem plausible. While the immediate change seems to be testing the cohesion in some ruling families, the long-term impact could bring more certainty to ruling transitions. It also accelerates generational transition.
The image of Gulf rulers is already changing as younger and often more vigorous princes rule over equally youthful populations. Saudi Arabia and the UAE, because of their ties to key military leaders, will play a major role in what comes next in Sudan. Through its careful examination of the forces shaping the evolution of Gulf societies and the new generation of emerging leaders, AGSIW facilitates a richer understanding of the role the countries in this key geostrategic region can be expected to play in the 21st century.
Both trends are contributing to the emerging generational shift. The Latest Energy topic in which the post is published. Society topic in which the post is published. Security topic in which the post is published. Jacobs Nov 4, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, because of their ties to key military leaders, will play a major role in what comes next in Sudan.
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