The U.S. concerned authorities have renewed granting the Washington-based Saudi Islamic Academy a full recognition as a foreign educational institution operating in the United States of America. Following an inspection visit to the academy and meeting its staff in mid- November, a committee delegated by the Southern Federation for U.S. Colleges and Institutes issued a certificate, giving the go-ahead for the Saudi educational institution. During the visit, which lasted for three days from November 13, the committee was briefed on the academic, sports, social and cultural programs and activities of the academy. In remarks on the occasion, the academy's Director General Abdullah bin Ibrahim Alshabnan expressed pleasure of this scientific merit awarded to the academy, attributing the achievement to the generous support extended for the academy by the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz, the Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, and the direct supervision of the Saudi Ambassador to the U.S. Prince Turki Alfaisal, who is also chairman of the academy's Board of Directors. He said "such achievement by the academy abroad reflects the real profile of the Saudi people and embodies the extent of progress reached by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in all fields".
