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Middle East and North Africa
Saudi Arabia |
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Last reviewed: 20 August 2009 |
Country information
POLITICS
Recent Political Developments
Saudi Arabia is a monarchy with a political system rooted in Islamic Sharia law. The monarchy is descended from the founder of modern day Saudi Arabia. King Abdullah, the Head of State, is also the Prime Minister and nominates a Council of Ministers. His half-brother, Prince Sultan, is the Crown Prince. Other members of the King's close family hold important roles, including Prince Naïf, who was appointed Second Deputy Prime Minister in March 2009.
Between 1992 and 1993, King Fahd introduced a number of political reforms, including the establishment in 1993 of a Consultative Council, the Majlis Al-Shura. It has 120 members, all of whom were selected by King Fahd apart from, Princes and serving Ministers. The Council’s role is to formalise existing political arrangements and debate new political legislation or social developments.
In January 2003, Crown Prince Abdullah set out proposals for "self-reform and the promotion of political participation" in the Arab world. A few days later he received a petition signed by 120 people which called for reform including: election of members to the Shura council and regional assemblies; an independent judiciary; freedom of speech and association; the development of civil society and increased human rights; a greater public role for women; and a national forum for open discussion.
In October 2006 the King announced the creation of an Allegiance Commission. Made up of senior members of the Al Saud family the Commission governs the selection of a new King or Crown Prince if either of their predecessors die. It also provides for the possibility of abdication in the event of a medical incapacitation.
King Abdullah’s most recent round of reforms took place in February 2009. These reforms included: four new cabinet ministers; new judges; new heads of governmental bodies including the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority ( SAMA, the central bank) and the religious police; 79 new members of the Shura Council (the fledgling parliament); two senior military appointments; and new religious figures.
Importantly, King Abdullah appointed the first woman to hold ministerial rank in Saudi Arabia. Dr Nora al Fayez is now Deputy Education Minister for Girl’s education.
Elections
As part of this reform process, the then Crown Prince Abdullah announced in October 2003 the plan to hold municipal elections for half of the members of municipal councils. These elections were the first elections to a government body in Saudi Arabia. Polling took place between February and April 2005. But in 2009 the Cabinet announced that these elections would be postponed for two years.
HUMAN RIGHTS
The British Government has a number of concerns about human rights in Saudi Arabia. These include aspects of the judicial system; corporal and capital punishment; torture; discrimination against women and non-Muslims; and restrictions on freedom of movement, expression, assembly and worship.
The British Government remains committed to raising human rights with the Saudi authorities at every opportunity at working, Ambassadorial and Ministerial level. The British Government, as a member of the European Union, strongly advocates the abolition of the death penalty in Saudi Arabia.
The British Government also recognises that the situation is slowly improving. There are now two semi-governmental human rights bodies in the Kingdom: the Human Rights Commission and the National Society for Human Rights. These institutions raise awareness of human rights in the Kingdom and help individuals by taking their concerns to the interested governmental body. In May 2007, NSHR published its first annual report since its conception in 2004. This was a welcome development. It is not yet clear when the next report will be published.
Saudi Arabia has signed and/or ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1996; the International Covenant on the Elimination of all Forms of racial Discrimination (CERD) in 1997; the Convention Against Torture (CAT) in 1997 and the International Covenant on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 2000.
The UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the human rights record of Saudi Arabia was conducted in Geneva on 6 February 2009. The UK recommended that Saudi Arabia make the following changes:
1. To enact and implement a Law of Association to guarantee the right to form civil society organisations and protect those organisations from government interference.
2. To abolish the guardianship system. Which severely limits the rights of women to act as autonomous and equal members of Saudi society.
3. That the code of Criminal practice be amended to stipulate that only individuals over 18 years old will be tried as adults. As a result, the executions of any individuals who were less than 18 years old when they committed the crime should be commuted to a custodial sentence.
BACKGROUND: BILATERAL
Saudi Arabia is the UK’s most important partner in the Middle East, crucial to achieving our objectives on the economy, counter-terrorism (CT), counter proliferation, regional security, energy security and climate change. It is the largest market for goods and services in the Middle East, a major investor in the UK, an important player on regional issues (including Iran and the MEPP) and a key defence and CT partner.
The bilateral relationship is in good shape overall. In April 2009 King Abdullah attended the G20 Summit held in London and later that month the Foreign Secretary visited Riyadh to attend the successful UK/Saudi Arabia Two Kingdoms Dialogue. The two visits by the Prime Minister in 2008 also deepened and broadened ties. The Prime Minister, Lord Mandleson and Ed Miliband visited Saudi Arabia from 1-2 November. The Prime Minister visited a de-radicalisation centre during this visit and met Interior Ministry officials, religious scholars, and inmates. The delegation also included 22 senior business leaders and sent a strong signal to the Saudis about the seriousness of our intent as an economic partner. In November 2008 the Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Saud al Faisal met the Foreign Secretary in the UK to discuss the MEPP and the two have since kept in touch regularly by telephone. In October 2007 the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, HM King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz undertook a very successful State Visit to the United Kingdom as the Guest of HM The Queen. In April 2009 King Abdullah attended the G20 Summit held in London.
Saudi Arabia is one of the UK’s key CT partners. The importance to Muslims of the two holy cities of Mecca and Medina gives it worldwide religious importance, and it is vital to world energy supplies. It has also faced a major terrorist threat in recent years. We welcome Saudi Arabia’s commitment to CT co-operation and are working closely with the Saudi authorities to develop a level of co-operation which is delivering practical benefits to both sides.
The United Kingdom has significant political and commercial interests in Saudi Arabia. About 20,000 UK nationals live there. Saudi Arabia is our largest export market in the region. UK exports to Saudi Arabia were about £7 billion in 2006. The UK is Saudi Arabia's joint fourth largest investor.
Energy
Saudi Arabia has the world’s largest proven oil reserves and is the world’s largest supplier of oil. Saudi Arabia holds most of OPEC’s spare capacity and is vital to oil market stability. State oil company Aramco produces around 8 million barrels per day (mbd) and has a maximum sustainable production capacity of 11.3 mbd. This will rise to 12.5 mbd once all expansion projects are completed.
In late 2008 the Ministry of Petroleum retreated from an earlier ambition to expand production capacity to 15 mbd by 2015, due to concerns over the global economy and a desire to conserve the oil wealth for future generations. The Ministry has said it will review economic developments and invest in increasing capacity if demand projections require.
Climate Change
Saudi attitudes towards climate change are evolving. Although they maintain a hard position in international negotiations they have recently become more accepting of the scientific arguments behind climate change and believe that international action is required.
Saudi Arabia’s main objective is to make oil a ‘greener’ fuel, thus ensuring continued use of fossil fuels on which their economy depends. But renewable energy options are being explored: in December 2008 Oil Minister Naimi announced an ambition that Saudi should export solar energy as well as hydrocarbons.
The Saudis have launched several low carbon initiatives, starting with the establishment in 2007 of a $300m fund for research and development into clean oil technology and carbon mitigation (Centre for Petroleum Studies and Research). They hope this will eventually develop into a $3bn fund.
In late 2008 the Ministry of Petroleum published a Carbon Management Technology Road Map that outlines mitigation plans for carbon emissions and the re-injection of carbon dioxide to enhance oil recovery. The road map matches the UK’s ambition for cooperation on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology. The UK cooperates with Saudi, Norway and Netherlands on CCS through the 4 Kingdom’s initiative.
An important objective for Saudi Arabia is to have CCS included in any post-2012 deal at this year’s UNFCCC summit in Copenhagen. The UK believes that CCS technologies will be essential to mitigating dangerous climate change in a world which will continue to use traditional energy sources for the foreseeable future. Other states have expressed concern about CCS becoming a part of the Clean Development Mechanism. Finding an acceptable resolution to this is important as failure may result in Saudi attempting to block any deal.
Two Kingdoms Dialogue
In 2005, the UK and Saudi Arabia launched the Two Kingdoms Dialogue, which was initiated by our respective Foreign Ministers to facilitate constructive dialogue between our two countries. In the past, topics have included education and the role of women in business. The fourth and most recent meeting was held in Riyadh in April 2009 and focused on the impact of the economic crisis on trade and investment flows between the UK and Saudi Arabia.
Defence
Defence links are central to the bilateral relationship. RAF aircraft were routinely based in the Kingdom until 2003, since when the military relationship has consisted of engagement in a variety of activities with the Ministry of Defence and Aviation, the Saudi Arabian National Guard and the Ministry of the Interior. Defence sales have also played an important role; the Al Yamamah Project, the world’s largest defence supply contract, has been worth over £43 Bn to the UK up to 2004. An agreement to deliver 72 Typhoon aircraft has also been agreed
