Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud

NMTV Profiles Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman

t was in January 2015 that the biggest political shake-ups in the history of Saudi Arabia took place at the hands of King Salman, who became ruler the same month. In a stroke he transferred power to a new generation, offered appeasement to the kingdom’s religious conservatives, reinforced his regime’s pro-American and anti-Iranian character, and underlined its intention to act boldly both at home and abroad. Many outside Saudi Arabia saw this as the most corrective step by the kingdom in a long time while at home the same met with resistance. It was during the same time that a Prince in Saudi Arabia came to the fore out of nowhere and started calling the shots of the office of King. Meet 30 years old Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Young, ambitious and a through bred Saudi royal from the House of Saud. Prince Mohammed bin Salman is the grandson of the Abdulaziz Ibn Saud : The father of modern Saudi Arabia. Within months of Mohammad Bin Salman has become the rising star and the new face of power in Saudi Arabia. Mohammad bin Salman was born on 31 August 1985 in Jeddah to King Salman and his third wifeFahda bint Falah bin Sultan Al Hithalayn. Unlike other Saudi Prince, he chose to complete education in Saudi Arabia and holds a Bachelor Degree in law from King Saud University. Youngest minister of defense in the world… In January 2015, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud became King of Saudi-Arabia at the age of 79. His first official act was to appoint his son Mohammed bin Salman al-Saud minister of defense and likewise secretary general of the Royal Court. Thereby, Prince Salman, at that time only 29 years old, became the youngest minister of defense in the world. A father’s son… The Dy. Crown Prince was in his early teens when he got involved in shares and property. After attaining his degree in law, he first gained experience in the private sector before becoming his father’s advisor and rising to the position of being named Crown Prince giving a official start to his political career. Reforms Prince Mohammed bin Salman has a vision for Saudi-Arabia: He wants to transform the country, especially its economy, from an oil-dependent state to an economic power driven by investments. His reform program is manifested in the blueprint “Vision 2030”. Privatization of the economy, non-oil incomes and sustainable development are just some of goals the young prince wants to reach by his reform agenda. In this regard the prince has set another milestone by calling for a moderate and tolerant Islamic state to achieve his economic reform plans. How serious he is about that becomes obvious when one takes a look at his lobbying for regulations to restrict the powers of the religious police. He has also taken first measures to realize his economic vision for Saudi-Arabia: a sovereign wealth fund of $2 trillion was created for which he even wants to sell off shares of Saudi Aramco. Besides, new taxes and the National Transformation Programme have been launched to improve Saudi-Arabia's economy and reach more and more independence from only oil-based business. Controversy Since Mohammed bin Salman has been appointed minister of defense, Saudi-Arabia has become more aggressive and offensive in term of its foreign policy. One of MbS's first steps as defense minister was Operation Decisive Storm as part of the Saudi-Arabian led intervention in Yemen, which has also increased the tension between Iran and Saudi-Arabia. Breaking the ice with US during Washington Visit… In his Washington meetings this year, including one with President Barack Obama, Prince Mohammed emphasized common interests, chiefly the campaign against the Islamic State and other terrorist groups. The prince is crystal clear of what he wants and that is tolerant country with Islam as its constitution and moderation as its method. The next king of Saudi Arabia? Prince Mohammed's media prominence has led some commentators to speculate previously that he has aspirations to become the next king of Saudi Arabia, and those predictions now appear to be coming true. This is despite Prince Mohammed's father only coming to power in January 2015. The new face of power in Saudi Arabia… In a country of 20 million Saudis and 10 million expats, the rise of Prince Mohammed -- who runs economic, defence and oil strategy -- underscores a dramatic shift towards a leadership seemingly more in tune with the needs of a country where 70 percent of the population is under 30. In May this year when Crown Prince Mohammed got a standing ovation during his visit of a gathering of Saudi youth last month, it was a sign. The majority of the youth in Saudi Arabia are perhaps waiting for an overhaul of their economy, their country and their lives and in Crown Prince Mohammed, they see their dreams of a new Saudi Arabia converting into a reality.