JEDDAH — The Saudis will never forget the royal decrees issued by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman in the first days after his ascent to the throne. Most significant of these decisions were the appointment of Prince Muhammad Bin Naif as Crown Prince, deputy premier and minister of interior, and the appointment of Prince Muhammad Bin Salman as Deputy Crown Prince, second deputy premier and minister of defense. Prince Muhammad Bin Naif was also appointed chairman of the Council of Political and Security Affairs and Prince Muhammad Bin Salman was made head of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs. The royal decrees reflected the King's desire to assign important positions to the youth and to push them to take over leading roles. The King's desire has drawn the features of a new country, which is strong and viable. The decrees infused new and young blood into the veins of the country. The two young men were known for their dexterity and competence. The King's deep vision has been welcomed with admiration both at the local and international levels. The decisions issued on April 29, 2015 represented a new dawn that has made Saudi Arabia a new and young nation which is quite aware of the requirements of the future for big changes that include, among others, big changes which will boost development and prosperity. The decisions also reflected the smoothness of power transition according the Shariah and the system of rule. They were enough proof that the Kingdom was not living in a secluded island away from the world's realities. The appointments were widely covered by the local, regional and international media. They were considered a step in the right direction by the King to involve the new generation in the affairs of the state. The New York Times said the appointments of a young Crown Prince and a young Deputy Crown Prince were aimed at further consolidating the stability and prosperity of the country under pressing regional challenges, which jeopardized the areas as a whole. It said these appointments would restore the Kingdom's leading position in the region and enable it to further augment its ties with its main ally, which is the United States. The newspaper described the appointment of a young Crown Prince and a young Deputy Crown Prince as a historical event, which reflected King Salman's desire to put his special and distinctive fingerprint on the rule. It said for the first time in the history of Saudi Arabia the rule has been transferred from the forefathers to the grandchildren. The Washington Post said King Salman was enthusiastic and zealous to boost the Kingdom's leading position through the diffusion of young blood in the government. It said the appointments came at a time the Kingdom was facing local challenges represented by the drop in oil prices and external ones represented by Daesh group and terrorism in general.
