IN his annual opening address to the Shoura Council, King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, generally outlines the nation's accomplishments and sets out the direction in which the Kingdom should be heading. This year's address was no different. It is most important to note the King's explicit statement that “our current achievements have not met all our aspirations which we have sought to ensure our country is ranked among the developed countries of the world.” It means that the Kingdom must continue on the road to modernization while maintaining its devotion to Tawheed (the oneness of Allah) and the tenets of Islam. Implicit in the King's address was the complexity of the world the Kingdom finds itself a part of and the intricate understanding demanded to advance the cause of Saudi Arabia internally while facing regional and international influences in a rational manner, engaging in cooperative efforts for resolution when possible and vigorously defending the needs and culture of the Kingdom when necessary. The hostilities along the southern border with Yemen exemplified the need for both, and the campaign by the Saudi military to repel infiltrators and secure the border was an exemplary display of the skills of our military. The orders to construct 10,000 residential structures to house those in Jizan forced into shelters by the fighting show a government responsive to its people's needs. King Abdullah also pointed to reforms under way in education aimed at readying young Saudis to enter the workforce and to the establishment of Kaust as an internationally respected institution of higher education. He also highlighted judicial reforms intended to make uniform around the country the application of Saudi Arabia's laws. Along with such reforms, the King mentioned the ever-improving status of women in the Kingdom and the continuing effort to make them equal participants in the development of Saudi Arabia. Internationally, the Kingdom has played an important role this past year, said the King, working to moderate oil prices, bolstering the private sector domestically and expanding the domestic budget, which serves to employ a variety of both domestic and international concerns thus further integrating the nation into the world economy. At the same time, the King urged the nation to continue to recognize its status as host and defenders of Islam's holiest sites, roles that have led to improvements in accessibility to the holy shrines. And Saudi Arabia will remain a promoter of Arab unity and a defender of the rights of the Palestinian people to a state of their own. The King offered a vital outline to the coming deliberations of the Shoura Council. It is now in the hands of its members to live up to the King's aspirations. __
