Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah arrives at the opening ceremony of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) summit in Mecca August 14, 2012. Reuters
King Abdullah appointed Prince Miteb bin Abdullah as the first minister of the National Guard.
Prince Miteb took the oath of office before the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques at his palace in Jeddah on Monday.
He said, “I swear by God almighty to be faithful to the religion, and then to our King and homeland, reveal no secrets of the state, and protect its interests and regulations, and that I will perform my work with the utmost truthfulness, honesty, and sincerity.”
The King congratulated Prince Miteb on his appointment, and the new minister of the National Guard thanked King Abdullah for the royal trust that has been placed in him.
Prince Miteb said: “It is my pleasure, in my own name and on behalf of all my civilian and military colleagues in the National Guard, to thank the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for the royal trust that has been bestowed on me.”
A number of senior Saudi officials attended the oath-taking ceremony including, Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz and Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, among others.
Prince Miteb bin Abdullah was appointed commander of the Saudi National Guard in 2010. The post had previously been held by King Abdullah.