It’s Academic! Saudi Arabia’s Remarkable New Cabinet

Saudi Arabia's new Council of Ministers, announced Aug. 7 by King Fahd Bin Abdel Aziz Al Saud, who serves as prime minister, is unique in several ways. Of its 22 members with portfolio, five are senior members of the Royal Family, whose members generally received their education at the royal court. However, one has a B.A. in economics from Princeton University. Of the 17 other members, 14 hold doctorates, and the other three hold master's degrees. Altogether, 15 of the cabinet members hold one or more earned, not honorary, degrees from U.S. universities. Positions, names and, where available, ages and pertinent degrees are listed below:

Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard: HRH Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud.

Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation, and Inspector-General: HRH Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud.

Minister of Housing and Public Works: HRH Prince Met'eb Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, born 1931.

Minister of Interior: HRH Prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, born 1934.

Minister of Foreign Affairs: HRH Prince Saud Al-Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, born 1942. B.A., Economics, Princeton University, 1964.

Minister of Agriculture and Water: Dr. Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Bin Mu'amar, born 1950. B.A. Economics, International American University, California, 1976; MBA, Administration Development and Organization, International American University, California, 1978; M.A., Social Sciences, University of California-Irvine, 1981; Ph. D., Social Sciences, University of California-Irvine, 1983.

Minister of Commerce: Osama Bin Jafar Bin Ibrahim Faqih, born 1943. B.A. Accounting and Business Administration, Riyadh University, 1969; MBA, University of Arizona, 1973.

Minister of Communications: Dr. Nasir Bin Muhammad Al-Salloum, born 1938. B.S., Civil Engineering, Cairo University, 1964; M. Sc. Civil Engineering, 1968, then Ph.D. Civil Engineering, 1973, University of Arizona.

Minister of Health: Dr. Osama Bin Abdul Majeed Shobokshi, born 1943. Ph.D. in Internal Medicine, Germany, 1976; Fellow of the Royal Irish College of Surgeons, 1993.

Minister of Higher Education: Dr. Khalid Bin Muhammad Al-Angary, born 1952. Ph.D., Geography, University of Florida, 1981.

Minister of Industry and Electricity: Dr. Hashim Bin Abdullah Bin Hashim Al-Yamani. Ph.D., Physics, Harvard University, 1974.

Minister of Information: Dr. Fouad Bin Abdul Salaam Bin Muhammad Farsi, born 1946. M.A., Political Science, Portland State University, 1971; Ph.D., Political Science, Duke University, 1976.

Minister of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance: Dr. Abdullah Bin Abdul Mohsen Al-Turki, born 1940. B.A., Islamic Law, Shari'ah College, Riyadh, 1963; M.A., Higher Institute for Justice, Riyadh, 1969; Ph.D., Fundamentals of Islamic Jurisprudence, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, 1973.

Minister of Justice: Dr. Abdullah Bin Muhammad Bin Ibrahim Al Ashaikh, born 1949. B.A., Shari'ah College, Imam Muhammad Bin Saud University, 1975; M.A., Al-Azhar University, Cairo, 1980; Ph.D., Imam Muhammad Bin Saud University, 1987.

Minister of Labor and Social Affairs: Musaid Bin Muhammad Al-Sinani, born 1946. B.A., Accounting and Business Administration, King Saud University; MBA, Accounting, University of Arizona, 1974.

Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs: Dr. Muhammad Bin Ibrahim Al-Jarallah, born 1944. Ph.D., Civil Engineering, Michigan State University, 1978; M.Sc., Civil Engineering, Stanford University, 1974; B. Sc., Civil Engineering, Riyadh University, 1972.

Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources: Ali Bin Ibrahim Al-Naimi, born 1935. B.Sc., Geology, LeHigh University; M.Sc., Geology, Stanford University.

Minister of Pilgrimage: Dr. Mahmoud Bin Muhammad Safar, born 1939. B.A., Civil Engineering, Cairo University, 1964; M.A., Civil Engineering, Stanford University; Ph.D., Civil Engineering, University of North Carolina, 1972; Post-graduate degree, Stanford University, 1980.

Minister of Planning: Dr. Abdul Wahab Bin Abdul Salam Attar, born 1940. B.A., Economics, Cairo University, 1962; M.A., then Ph.D., Economics, University of Southern California, 1969.

Minister of Posts, Telegraphs and Telephones: Dr. Ali Bin Talal Al-Juhani, born 1945. Ph.D., Economics, University of California, 1977; M.Sc. in Mathematical Economics, U.S., 1973; B.Sc. in Business Administration, U.S., 1970.