Council of Economic and Development Affairs (Saudi Arabia)
# Council of Economic and Development Affairs (Saudi Arabia)

The Saudi Council of Economic and Development Affairs is one of two subcabinets of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It was established by King Salman to replace the Supreme Economic Council, and is led by the King Salman’s son and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, who holds additional roles such as Defense minister.

## History

The fall in oil prices in 2014, coupled with developing security threats led King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to reshuffle the existing cabinet structure and staff. On 29 January 2015, days after assuming the throne, King Salman bin Abdulaziz ordered major changes to government including a cabinet reshuffle, via royal decree. He replaced a dozen existing cabinets, or advisory bodies, with two new ones: the Council of Political and Security Affairs, and the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, in order to improve efficiency in the government’s decision-making apparatus.

Each year, a meeting is chaired by the crown prince to review and assess the Council’s actions and decisions. Following an inaugural session in February 2015, review sessions were held in February 2016 and 2017: the first included briefs made by the Project Management Office (within CEDA) and the second featured briefs by the Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources as well as the Minister of Justice, on improving their respective entities’ outputs, to be in line with the kingdom’s Vision 2030.

## Structure and function

The Council of Economic and Development Affairs aims at establishing the overall governance, the mechanisms and measures necessary to achieve Saudi Vision 2030. The body addresses issues spanning all Saudi domestic affairs, from health, labor, education and Islamic affairs.

The council shall also make decisions on any matter under its jurisdiction that could prevent programs from achieving their goals. Several dedicated committees and management offices have been set up. The council breaks down the roles and responsibilities of the relevant government agencies and mechanisms, including a strategic committee and an office of strategic management.

## Membership

Council of Economic and Development Affairs :

| Prince Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud | Crown Prince and Prime Minister, President |
| - | - |
| Dr. Walid bin Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Samaani | Minister of justice, Member |
| Dr. Musaad bin Mohammed Al Aiban | Minister of State, Member of the Council of Ministers, Member |
| Eng. Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih | Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Member |
| Mohamed Bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan | Minister of Finance, Member |
| Ahmed bin Suleiman Al-Rajhi | Minister of Labor and Social Development, Member |
| Majed al-Hogail | Minister of Housing, Member |
| Dr. Mohammad Saleh Bin Taher Benten | Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Member |
| Mohammed Altwejri | Minister of Economy and Planning, Member |
| Dr.Majid bin Abdullah Al Qasabi | Minister of Commerce and Investment, Member |
| Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser | Minister of Transport, Member |
| Abdullah bin Amer Al-Sawaha | Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Member |
| Mohammed bin Abdulmalik Al Al Sheikh | Minister of State, Member of the Council of Ministers, Member |
| Fahad Al-Jalajel | Minister of Health, Member |
| Sulaiman Alhamdan | Minister of Civil Service, Member |
| Eng. Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadhli | Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Member |
| Dr. Hamad bin Mohammed Al Al-Sheikh | Minister of Education, Member |
| Turki Al-Shabanah | Minister of Media, Member |
| Badr bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Farhan | Minister of Culture, Member |
| Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud | Minister of Foreign Affairs, Member |
| Dr. Essam bin Saad bin Said | Minister of State, Member of the Council of Ministers, Member |
| Ghassan bin Abdulrahman Al-Shibl | Chairman of the board of directors of the Local Content and Government Procurement Commission, Member |
| Ahmad bin Aqeel Al-Khatib | Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage, Member |
| Mohammed bin Sulaiman Al-Ajaji | Head of experts commission at the Council of Ministers, Member |
