King ΄Abd Allah Reconstitutes Petroleum/Minerals Council For New Four-Year Term

King ΄Abd Allah Reconstitutes Petroleum/Minerals Council For New Four-Year Term

King ΄Abd Allah ibn ΄Abd al-΄Aziz on 15 October issued a royal decree reconstituting the Supreme Council for Petroleum and Mineral Affairs (SCPMA) for another four years, with effect from 26 October. The SCPMA was created in January 2000 (MEES, 10 January 2000), superseding the Supreme Petroleum Council (SPC) established in the 1970s. It also replaced the Supreme Council of Saudi Aramco, created in 1988 when the Saudi government officially took over control of the company (MEES, 20 March 1989). Despite the official designation change in 2000, the council is more often than not still referred to as the SPC.

The new council, replacing the one formed in November 2003 (MEES, 8 December 2003), has only one minor change: Muhammad al-Suwail replaces Salih al-΄Adhil in his capacity as President of the King ΄Abd al-΄Aziz City for Science and Technology. Ghazi al-Qusaibi was Water and Electricity Minister when the last council was formed, but he has retained his place, even though he is now Labor Minister. His continued presence reflects both his professional qualities and the importance that the government attaches to job creation – not least in the energy and minerals sector.

The following are members of the new SCPMA:

Chairman: ΄Abd Allah ibn ΄Abd al-΄Aziz

Vice-Chairman: Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Prince Sultan ibn ΄Abd al-΄Aziz

Members:

Prince Sa΄ud al-Faisal (Foreign Minister)

Ghazi al-Qusaibi (Labor Minister)

Mutlab al-Nafisah (Minister of State and Secretary-General of the SCPMA)

Hashim Yamani (Commerce and Industry Minister)

Ali Naimi (Oil Minister)

Ibrahim al-΄Assaf (Finance Minister)

Khalid al-Qusaibi (Economy and Planning Minister)

Muhammad al-Suwail (President of the King ΄Abd al-΄Aziz City for Science and Technology)