The Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman, met, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense in Jeddah, on Tuesday evening, Prince Khalid bin Salman, Minister of Defense, and leaders in the ministry, according to the Saudi Press Agency “SPA”.
In his first meeting following his appointment to his new position, Prince Mohammed bin Salman expressed his thanks and appreciation for the sincere efforts of the men of the Ministry of Defense and the great progress they have reached with the implementation of the ministry’s development program, noting that the Kingdom has increased its self-sufficiency in military industries from two percent to 15 percent and plans to reach 50 percent under the leadership of the newly appointed defense minister.
Crown Prince Mohammed was Minister of Defense, before his appointment as Prime Minister, according to a royal order issued by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz on Tuesday evening.
King Salman appointed his son, the Crown Prince, as prime minister and his second son, Prince Khaled, as defense minister.
According to the orders, which were broadcast by the official Saudi Press Agency, a cabinet reshuffle kept his son, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, as Minister of Energy.
The Saudi Crown Prince “expressed his feelings towards the Ministry of Defense and its special status for him, and the period he spent working in the ministry, praising the performance and work of the ministry and its advanced stages, and looking forward to reaching, under the leadership of Prince Khalid bin Salman and the cooperation of the ministry’s employees, to broader and greater horizons.” .
Prince Muhammad said during his “farewell to the employees of the Ministry of Defense”: “Good luck, and Prince Khalid bin Salman fulfills the need,” meaning that he is worthy of the task entrusted to him.
Prince Khaled, Prince Mohammed’s younger brother, previously served as deputy defense minister.
Prince Khalid bin Salman stressed that “the achievements of the Ministry of Defense during its development programs and what it will achieve (…) through its continued implementation of its development programs (…) comes under the guidance and continuous support of the Crown Prince.”
The meeting was attended by the Chief of the General Staff, the Commander of the Joint Forces, the Deputy Chief of the General Staff, the leaders of the armed forces’ branches, and other officials.