In Response to Al‑Turaiki’s File
Princess Fahda bint Saud bin Abdulaziz:
“You Have Been Unfair to My Father — and These Are the Reasons for His Trust in Al‑Turaiki!”
King Saud and Abdullah Al‑Turaiki
By Fahda bint Saud bin Abdulaziz
The interest shown by the news platform Elaph in recounting the history of Sheikh Abdullah Al‑Turaiki—may God have mercy on him—highlighting aspects of his family life and the views of those who admired him, is an effort worthy of appreciation. It honors one of the Kingdom’s loyal men who played an important role in its economic development. I especially thank Mr. Mohammed Al‑Saif, who exerted clear effort in gathering material from diverse, valuable sources. His work complements the volume The Complete Works of Abdullah Al‑Turaiki, edited by Dr. Walid Khadduri, which compiled many testimonies from those who knew and worked with Al‑Turaiki.
However, I found in these works a significant injustice to the legacy of King Saud—may God have mercy on him—and a disregard for his role. It was King Saud who appointed Al‑Turaiki as Minister of Petroleum and granted him full freedom to work, believing in the importance of establishing a technocratic ministry led by a new generation of young Saudis educated abroad, capable of assuming leadership positions during a challenging phase that followed the completion of the Kingdom’s foundational infrastructure—an effort King Saud had begun upon assuming the throne in 1953.
As Prime Minister, King Saud formed the first technocratic cabinet in the Kingdom’s history, which included Sheikh Abdullah Al‑Turaiki as the first Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, appointed on 22 December 1960. The significance of this cabinet lay in its inclusion— for the first time—of a group of educated young Saudis representing the middle class, a distinguished elite of administrators who began serving as ministers and advisers. The cabinet included:
- Dr. Hassan Naseef – Minister of Health
- Abdullah Al‑Dabbagh – Minister of Agriculture
- Ahmed Shatta – Minister of Commerce
- Abdullah Al‑Turaiki – Minister of Petroleum
- Abdulaziz Al‑Muammar – Adviser
- Faisal Al‑Hujailan – Adviser
- Nasser Al‑Manqoor – Minister of State
This carefully selected cabinet reflected three key directions King Saud sought to achieve:
- Nationalization of leadership positions (Saudization).
- Empowering the educated middle class by appointing them to specialized leadership roles.
- Utilizing expert consultation to support national development.
In the first cabinet meeting on 24 December 1960, Sheikh Nasser Al‑Manqoor announced King Saud’s plan to establish institutions responsible for shaping the country’s economic policies. In January 1961, King Saud announced the establishment of a Court of Appeals composed of senior scholars and headed by Sheikh Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al‑Sheikh. This was followed by the creation of a Supreme Planning Council, which included:
- Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz – Minister of Finance
- Prince Badr bin Abdulaziz – Minister of Communications
- Sheikh Abdullah Al‑Turaiki – Minister of Petroleum
- Ahmed Shatta – Minister of Commerce
- Abdullah Al‑Dabbagh – Minister of Agriculture
The council was tasked with planning and implementing comprehensive development projects and coordinating economic strategies.
On 11 September 1961, a temporary cabinet was formed under King Saud with the same ministers and some modifications. Al‑Turaiki remained in office until 15 March 1962, when a new cabinet was formed and he, along with several ministers, left the government—despite King Saud’s insistence on keeping him, trusting his abilities and loyalty. One of the main reasons for Al‑Turaiki’s departure was his exposure of the Japanese oil company scandal to the Council of Ministers—an act driven by national duty—which King Saud had not been aware of.
It is clear that during Al‑Turaiki’s tenure in King Saud’s government (1960–1962), all ministers worked with a unified vision for planning and development, supported by leadership that shared their goals and encouraged reliance on local talent. This environment enabled Al‑Turaiki to serve effectively as Minister of Petroleum.
Reasons for King Saud’s Trust in Abdullah Al‑Turaiki
As noted by Mr. Abdulrahman Al‑Rashed, Al‑Turaiki was among the few who understood the intersections of oil with politics and economics. This was a key reason King Saud trusted him, as both men believed in using oil as a political and economic tool for the Kingdom.
1. King Saud’s Petroleum Policy
King Saud adopted a petroleum policy aimed at enabling Saudis to benefit from all opportunities in the oil industry. He approved a proposal by Abdullah Al‑Sulayman and Mohammed Ali Reda to establish a Saudi tanker company in partnership with the Greek businessman Aristotle Onassis. The U.S. government and Aramco objected, but King Saud viewed their objections as interference in Saudi affairs. He launched the first Saudi oil tanker on 20 April 1954.
However, when a lawsuit revealed secret commissions involving Onassis, Aramco exploited the situation and filed its own lawsuits, ultimately blocking the partnership. This deeply disappointed King Saud, who believed the project would have long‑term national benefits.
2. Using Oil as a Political Weapon
For the first time in the Kingdom’s history, King Saud used oil as leverage against Britain and France by cutting off oil supplies and banning ships bound for their ports, in support of Egypt during the 1956 Suez Crisis. This occurred before Al‑Turaiki became minister, but King Saud recognized in him the same nationalistic zeal and the potential to use oil strategically for Arab unity—one of the reasons he appointed him.
3. Building Saudi Expertise in Oil Management
King Saud dreamed of Saudis acquiring the expertise to manage the oil industry independently. He wanted Saudi representatives on the boards of foreign oil companies in proportion to the Kingdom’s interests. In October 1957, he approved granting a concession to a Japanese oil company with a 56% share for Saudi Arabia—a revolutionary arrangement at the time. This was before Al‑Turaiki’s appointment, but King Saud saw in him the loyalty and competence needed to advance this vision.
4. King Saud’s Role in Founding OPEC
King Saud tasked Al‑Turaiki with inviting representatives from Iran, Kuwait, Iraq, and Venezuela to discuss establishing OPEC. The organization was founded in 1960, and Al‑Turaiki signed on behalf of Saudi Arabia. He played a major role in its early development.
Sheikh Abdullah Al‑Turaiki emerged as a key figure in shaping Saudi economic policy, guided by a national strategy and empowered by King Saud’s trust—trust rooted in Al‑Turaiki’s loyalty, insight, and shared belief in using oil as a powerful economic and political tool in service of Arab causes.
May God have mercy on them both.