Dr N. Janardhan :
King Abdullah is no more…but his reformist imprint and his dynamic leadership will remain etched forever not just in Saudi Arabia but across the Middle East. He may have been at the helm of the Kingdom for less than a decade, but he also served as the de facto king for about 10 years after King Fahd became indisposed in 1995.
Rather than eulogize his personal qualities, following are some examples of his leadership in the political, economic, social and foreign policy arenas, which reflect his visionary outlook that were in tune with changing times – a classic case of accommodating modernity, without disrespecting tradition.
An announcement within weeks of assuming power in 2005 ordering citizens not to kiss his hand highlighted his refreshing approach to the relationship between a leader and his people. Reputed for relative modesty amid opulence and absolute power, King Abdullah said that such deference befits only parents. “It also leads to bowing…The faithful bow to no one but God,” he justified.
If this was a break from the past, he made it a habit of challenging norms that retarded development and progress. This was evident in his permitting co-education at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in 2009, making it the first public education institution in the country to allow men and women to study together. Trying to kill several birds with one stone, this was not only a social transformation bid, but also an attempt to make the Kingdom a leader in research and technology, as well as a push for modernising education.
Remaining steadfast, King Abdullah silenced his critics among conservative and religious groups by forcing a top cleric to resign from the board of the Council of Senior clerics after he objected to gender mixing at the university. This reflected his follow-up action to the process of discouraging religious extremism and promoting moderation, a strategy that became necessary after the involvement of several Saudis in the 9/11 attacks in the United States.
Mixing social with political reforms in 2011, King Abdullah granted women the right to vote and run in the municipal elections, the only public polls in the Kingdom. This becomes effective in 2015. He also announced that women would have the right to join the all-appointed Shura (consultative) Council, thereby making them partners in the government’s decision-making process and the political evolution of the country.
Earlier, between 2003 and 2005, King Abdullah tactfully dealt with demands for political reform when several petitioners demanded that an elected consultative assembly must replace the appointed Shura council. While several petitioners were initially arrested, they were released with assurances that steps would be taken to increase consultation and curb corruption.
Another contribution in the political domain was setting up the Allegiance Council in late 2007, which is now the basis to ensure smooth and orderly succession to the Saudi throne. This council of selected princes – representing each branch of the Al Saud family – lays down rules on how to vote to approve a king’s nominated heir, thereby institutionalising consultation in the succession process.
In the economic arena, King Abdullah enjoyed the benefit of high oil prices during his reign. But the fact that he used the wealth – unlike some of his predecessors – to diversify the economy, build economic cities and create jobs for the future is his hallmark. The King Abdullah Economic City and venturing into renewable energy projects were acknowledgments that oil money will not last forever.
It is another matter that the same wealth also came in handy when he announced plans to spend $110 billion in Saudi Arabia on social benefits, new housing and new jobs to avert the negative fall-out of Arab uprising in the region.
It is ironical that King Abdullah has not got his due with regard to his foreign policies. Even before he became king, annoyed with the US policy of not adequately supporting the Palestinian cause, he conveyed a message to President George W. Bush in early 2001: “You go your way, I go my way. From now on, we will protect our national interests, regardless of where America’s interests lie in the region.” This subsequently became the early basis for the Gulf Cooperation Council’s strategic shift towards and rediscovery of ties with Asia.
Again on the Palestinian issue, the Saudis – under Crown Prince Abdullah – brokered the Arab Peace Initiative in 2002, which outlined comprehensive steps to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. This plan remains the most accepted and endorsed international solutions to the Middle East crisis.
Further, the 2013 Saudi decision rejecting a Security Council seat to convey Saudi anger over weak and conciliatory Western policies towards Syria and Iran showed the bold posturing that the Kingdom was willing to make under King Abdullah.
Riyadh’s maturity on political and international issues under King Abdullah’s stewardship was also evident when Washington was warned in early 2011 against supporting the ouster of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak for fear of the rest of Middle East getting engulfed in an Arab uprising frenzy of leadership change. True to Saudi fears, several countries in the region have remained engulfed in violence and instability ever since.
Finally, there may have been regrets that lingered, but King Abdullah’s legacy of illustrious achievements will dispel any shadow.
(Dr N. Janardhan is a Dubai-based political analyst, author on Gulf affairs and honorary fellow of the University of Exeter, UK)
