RIYADH: Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Sheikh, chairman of the Shoura Council, welcomed and thanked King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for helping the country to thrive. He said: “This country is thriving thanks to the wise leadership; there have many great strides and ambitious plans aiming to advance the country and provide a decent life for citizens. “Citizens are overwhelmed by feelings of joy and happiness due to the success of economic programs designed to improve the national economic performance, diversify incomes, open fields of employment for citizens and settle business and economic activities,” he said. “Our country has become the economics and international investors’ center of attention and an active member of the Group of Twenty (G-20). “The announcement of the fiscal year 2018-19 is an example of the firm economic trend which represents an important part of Saudi Vision 2030. The Financial Sector Development Program is one of the programs that aim to achieve Saudi Vision 2030 with its development of the financial sector and enhancement of its efficiency in order to prepare the necessary environment to improve the citizens’ lifestyle and the country, promote investment opportunities and diversify the economic activity”, Al-Sheikh added. “You have inaugurated the Haramain High Speed Railway project which represents a qualitative leap in rail projects, not only on the level of the Kingdom, but also on the regional level, and this mega project will contribute to serving the Kingdom’s citizens and visitors,” he said. “The Saudi capital Riyadh hosted the second session of ‘The Future Investment Initiative 2018 (FII)’ where important agreements and investment projects were signed to build further strategic partnerships, in the presence of a large number of leaders, presidents, specialized ministers and distinguished people, pioneering decision-makers, businessmen, investors and other people who contribute to designing the future of global investment.” Al-Sheikh added: “You have supported the national effort to maintain the Kingdom’s environment heritage through the establishment of the Council of Royal Reserves that embodies one of the national achievements to preserve the environment and restore it, in accordance with a system that sustains it. Cornerstones were laid in many major development projects.” He noted the council’s pride in the wise leadership’s efforts to unify Arab ranks and promote Islamic solidarity to achieve security and peace in the region and in the world. Al-Sheikh said: “At the end of each year at the Shoura Council, we have the honor to inaugurate the new year to be a motive for the council for achieving its tasks amid unlimited support from the king and crown prince, who believe in the Shoura Council’s message and its national role in the development, construction and progress process.” He ascertained that the Shoura Council keeps pace with this support with more hard work to meet their expectations and note the citizens’ interests and their hopes which are the council’s constant concern, in accordance with their guidance for the country to be the center of action and attention. He clarified that the council has in the past year reviewed many draft legislations, regulations and agreements and discussed government bodies’ performance reports. The number of subjects the council discussed and reviewed last year was 244. The specialized council’s committee hosted tens of officials from many ministries and competent authorities to discover obstacles and hurdles in order to cooperate in dealing with them and finding solutions that guarantee work progress and achieving the desired goals. In a number of its sessions, the council also hosted ministers who discussed the performance of their ministries and requirements that interest citizens in achieving an effective performance that meets their wishes and solves problems. He said the council maintained its approach in communicating with citizens and noting their ideas and suggestions through interacting with them on media or studying petitions sent to the council via various means of communication, and in order to facilitate that, the council created a link for online petitions where any citizens can present their views and suggestions. These petitions are transferred to the council’s committees. Al-Sheikh stressed that through its social media platforms, the council has kept pace with the citizens’ participation and interactions. The council also assigned a specialized department to communicate with society. He said: “Your support of the Shoura Council included the role of the parliamentary diplomacy performed by the council through its affiliations with a number of unions and regional and international parliamentary forums when it hosted delegations and committees from brotherly countries’ parliamentary assemblies. “These efforts contributed to enhancing communications with those parliaments, rectifying the distorted image of the Kingdom, its position and policies, exploring successful parliamentary experiences and reflecting the Kingdom’s positions on different international issues and events.” Al-Sheikh thanked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which was very cooperative in the process of the Shoura Council performing its role of parliamentary diplomacy, and enhancing that through establishing a special department concerned with Shoura Council affairs. The council also created a department for special relations.