Saudi Arabia: Three Centuries’ Legacy Weaves Memory of Unification

A group photo of Saudi Arabia’s founding King Abdulaziz and his children (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A group photo of Saudi Arabia’s founding King Abdulaziz and his children (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia: Three Centuries’ Legacy Weaves Memory of Unification

A group photo of Saudi Arabia’s founding King Abdulaziz and his children (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A group photo of Saudi Arabia’s founding King Abdulaziz and his children (Asharq Al-Awsat)

On September 23, 2021, Saudi Arabia marks a new decade in its first centenary after its founder Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud having unified the Kingdom under a profound legacy that spans over three centuries on the Arabian Peninsula.

Diriyah, with its traditional mud-brick architecture that runs along the Wadi Hanifah valley, has kept the secret to the Kingdom’s establishment in 1722. It cradles the fond memory of the birth of one of the most important nations in the Middle East and the whole world.

Weathering harsh storms and high winds, Diriyah has maintained its centrality to the political and economic scene in the Kingdom and the region over the last decades.

The first and second Saudi states fluctuated in their stability and expansion because of the geopolitical realities that the region was living in the 1800s.

It ended with the weakening of the Ottoman Empire, which was extending and folding its control from time to time on the outskirts of the Arabian Peninsula.

Before its final collapse, the Ottoman Empire mandated military campaigns that were bloody to kill the people and destroy their cities and spread fear and eliminate any signs of state and life.

With the decline of the influence of the Ottoman Empire and then its end, a stage ended, and another began.

1929 - Victory for the State

With the passage of time, minor historical events fade under shadows cast by significant happenings. Nevertheless, it is those minor instances that defined the building of a cohesive and modern state that proves its founder’s innovation and awareness.

Diversifying Foreign Relations

While Britain’s role as one of the major active powers that shaped political and geographical equations was waning, King Abdulaziz was vigilantly managing his young state’s affairs without rushing to expose it to dangers.

By September 23, 1932, Royal Decree No. 2716 was issued as an essential historical document in building the modern Saudi state.

Issued by the founder, the decree included seven articles. One of the articles stipulated renaming the Kingdom of Hejaz and Najd as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with its founder as “King.” That moment marked the launch of an important political entity that radiates its impact on the regional and global scenes.

2030 – A New Perspective

The successors of King Abdulaziz continued his march, betting on the pillars of stability and development, which gave the country decades of progress and prosperity. This approach has given the Kingdom cohesion in the face of a sea of ​​challenges and difficulties that engulfed the region and shook the pillars of several states and the well-being of their peoples.

Today, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the seventh king of Saudi Arabia, is nurturing a new stage in the country’s history under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

Saudi Arabia’s leadership is bringing together the promises of the future and overcoming obstacles by returning to deeper roots in the oldest civilizations that were in the Arabian Peninsula.

It is relying on the geography that connects the past and the present and Saudi Arabia’s position as a vital hub linking three continents, and its major role in global history.



185,000 Yemenis to Benefit from KSrelief-Funded Project

An active presence of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) in all humanitarian aspects within Yemen (United Nations)
An active presence of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) in all humanitarian aspects within Yemen (United Nations)
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185,000 Yemenis to Benefit from KSrelief-Funded Project

An active presence of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) in all humanitarian aspects within Yemen (United Nations)
An active presence of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) in all humanitarian aspects within Yemen (United Nations)

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), in partnership with the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), launched a vital $2.25 million project to improve sanitation services for over 185,000 people in Maarib, including host communities and internally displaced persons.
This 12-month initiative aims to provide essential sanitation and hygiene support through enhanced facilities and strengthened local waste management capacity, fostering safer, healthier living conditions and building long-term resilience for communities heavily impacted by Yemen’s ongoing conflict.
Abdusattor Esoev, IOM’s Chief of Mission in Yemen said, “This project is a lifeline for the people of Maarib, who are facing some of Yemen’s most challenging conditions.”
He added that with hundreds of thousands struggling to access basic sanitation, this initiative provides immediate relief while laying the groundwork for lasting, community-led solutions.
“By providing critical support, we are not only meeting urgent needs but also helping communities regain a sense of dignity, safety, and stability,” Esoev said.
Largest concentration of displaced people
As the area with Yemen’s largest concentration of displaced people, Maarib has become the country’s largest host of internally displaced persons, sheltering nearly 1.6 million people who have fled conflict, insecurity, and deteriorating living conditions across the country.
Once a governorate of 350,000 people, Maarib’s population has now surged to over two million, placing an immense strain on its infrastructure and basic services.
This unprecedented magnitude of displacement has led to overcrowded displacement sites and heightened pressure on local resources, leaving many without access to adequate sanitation, clean water, and waste management systems.
Al Jufainah site alone, Yemen’s largest displacement settlement, hosts more than 73,000 people, many of whom rely on external aid to meet their most basic needs.
Coordinated Response
Recognizing the strain on local resources and the urgent need for expanded sanitation services, IOM, with KSrelief’s substantial funding, is implementing a coordinated response to address these critical needs.
Planned interventions include the construction of 200 household latrines, the rehabilitation of 600 cesspits, and the provision of essential equipment to enhance local waste management.
The project will further support Maarib’s Hygiene Improvement Fund (HIF) with the provision of garbage and vacuum trucks to strengthen waste collection and fecal sludge management, ensuring cleaner, safer environments.
By increasing local capacity and infrastructure, this initiative provides immediate relief and promotes long-term resilience and self-sufficiency for Maarib’s communities.
This partnership with KSrelief is a continuation of its sustained commitment to supporting IOM’s humanitarian efforts in Yemen, where millions face acute needs.
As the project progresses, IOM will continue working closely with local authorities to ensure the delivery of effective, sustainable sanitation and hygiene solutions that protect public health, support social stability, and offer hope to those most affected by Yemen’s ongoing crisis.