Whilst Saudis wait with great interest for the royal speech to be delivered by the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz to mark the opening of the fourth year of the sixth session of the Consultative Assembly in which he will discuss Saudi Arabia’s domestic and foreign policy, the Chairman of the Consultative Assembly Dr Abdullah Al Ash-Sheikh stressed in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat that the king’s speech is very important due to the fact that it is the first speech delivered by King Salman since his ascent to the throne as well as the circumstances surrounding the country.

Al Ash-Sheikh stressed that the state does not impose specific decisions on the Consultative Assembly but asks for its opinion on the examination of any topic. Often, the state issues its decision on a specific subject by consulting the Assembly’s view. Al Ash-Sheikh pointed out that women in the Assembly have surpassed expectations by making distinctive contributions and influencing discussions and studies.

The Consultative Assembly aspires to more powers in order to be honoured with greater participation in the making and guiding of national decisions. The Assembly is doing its utmost best to exercise its observational and organisational role, but the future that the leadership has planned requires more participation on the part of the Assembly in supporting new plans and directives to build a productive society which is a real participant in the development process.