King Salman appoints son as Saudi Crown Prince

Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been appointed as the country's crown prince, replacing Prince Mohammed bin Naif, a royal decree carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said on Wednesday.

The decree, issued by King Salman, also appointed Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif as interior minister, a post concurrently held by the former crown prince.

The SPA report said Mohammed bin Salman was chosen as crown prince by 31 out of 34 members of the Allegiance Council during a meeting at Al-Safa Palace in Makkah in the early hours of Wednesday.

The new crown prince has also served in a concurrent capacity as defense minister and chairman of the Council for Economic and Development Affairs.

SPA said King Salman appointed the following as advisers to the Royal Court with the rank of minister: Abdul Rahman bin Ali Rubaiaan, Nasser bin Abdulaziz Al-Dawoud, Bandar bin Khalid bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Prince Turki bin Mohammed bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud. Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Sudairy was named adviser to the Royal Court with excellent rank.

Also appointed were: Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Salem, as deputy interior minister with the rank of minister; Prince Bandar bin Faisal bin Bandar, as assistant to the president of the general intelligence; Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz, as vice chairman of the General Authority for Sport Management; and Prince Abdulaziz bin Fahd bin Turki bin Abdulaziz, as deputy to the emir of Al-Jouf.

Appointed as the Kingdom’s new ambassadors were Prince Faisal bin Sattam bin Abdulaziz, to Italy, and Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, to Germany.