Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09RIYADH302
2009-02-15 09:03:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Riyadh
Cable title:
SAUDI ABUZZ WITH APPOINTMENT OF FEMALE DEPUTY
how-toVZCZCXRO3241 PP RUEHBC RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHROV DE RUEHRH #0302 0460903 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 150903Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0189 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHZJ/HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHIC/ORG OF ISLAMIC CONFERENCE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHJI/AMCONSUL JEDDAH PRIORITY 0046
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 000302
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT PASS TO NEA/ARP (HARRIS, BLONG),NEA/PPD
(DOUGLAS, BENZE),NEA/IIP (DENIG),NEA/NESCA (HICKEY)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2019
TAGS: OIIP PGOV PHUM SA
SUBJECT: SAUDI ABUZZ WITH APPOINTMENT OF FEMALE DEPUTY
MINISTER
Classified By: CDA Sandra Muench for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
KEY POINTS (SBU):
-- Saudi King Abdallah bin Abdulaziz exceeded reformists'
hopes February 14 when he appointed Norah al-Faiz as one of
two Deputy Ministers of Education. Al-Faiz, considered an
expert on women's education, becomes the highest ranking
female government employee. She will direct women's primary
and secondary education kingdom-wide.
-- Saudis see Al-Faiz, former director of the Institute of
Public Administration, as a moderate advocate for change with
credibility founded on experience rather than the prominence
of family connections. Working with the embassy, Al-Faiz has
hosted women's empowerment workshops and supported US-based
training for women.
-- The king's announcement quickly reverberated throughout
Saudi society. News spread via television, radio, phone and
text messaging. "It's a movement," said one contact.
END KEY POINTS.
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 000302
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT PASS TO NEA/ARP (HARRIS, BLONG),NEA/PPD
(DOUGLAS, BENZE),NEA/IIP (DENIG),NEA/NESCA (HICKEY)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2019
TAGS: OIIP PGOV PHUM SA
SUBJECT: SAUDI ABUZZ WITH APPOINTMENT OF FEMALE DEPUTY
MINISTER
Classified By: CDA Sandra Muench for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
KEY POINTS (SBU):
-- Saudi King Abdallah bin Abdulaziz exceeded reformists'
hopes February 14 when he appointed Norah al-Faiz as one of
two Deputy Ministers of Education. Al-Faiz, considered an
expert on women's education, becomes the highest ranking
female government employee. She will direct women's primary
and secondary education kingdom-wide.
-- Saudis see Al-Faiz, former director of the Institute of
Public Administration, as a moderate advocate for change with
credibility founded on experience rather than the prominence
of family connections. Working with the embassy, Al-Faiz has
hosted women's empowerment workshops and supported US-based
training for women.
-- The king's announcement quickly reverberated throughout
Saudi society. News spread via television, radio, phone and
text messaging. "It's a movement," said one contact.
END KEY POINTS.
1. (SBU) THE SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT: Saudi King Abdallah bin
Abdulaziz reshaped his senior leadership today, February 14.
His numerous changes targeted the judicial and education
sectors, strongholds of conservatism in Saudi government.
The most visible change comes with the appointment of the
first female Deputy Minister. Norah al-Faiz, most recently
the Director of the Institute of Public Administration, fills
a newly-created position, Deputy Minister of Education for
Women's Education. She will direct women's primary and
secondary education.
2. (C) IMMEDIATE REACTION: Text messages flew and cell
phones rang incessantly as Saudis learned of the news. "This
signals change," said one contact. "It's a movement; people
are feeling it," said another. "The first thing I'm going to
do is go home, turn on the television, the radio and the
computer," said a university professor. "I'm going to learn
everthing I can about it," she added.
3. (SBU) QUALIFICATIONS, NOT CONNECTIONS: As surprising as
the Al-Faiz announcement was, Saudis noted that gender alone
was not Al-Faiz's only distinguishing characteristic. Saudis
took note that Al-Faiz is not from among the most prominent
families. Although she is widely regarded as an "expert on
girls' education," "she doesn't even have a PhD" noted one
contact, "she only has a Masters degree." Throughout her
career, Al-Faiz has supported training programs for women of
all levels of society. She collaborated with the embassy by
hosting women's empowerment training via the US Speakers
Program and nominating women for US-based training via the US
Voluntary Visitors Program. Early in her career, Al-Faiz was
a regular at US embassy functions.
4. (SBU) MORE ABOUT AL-FAIZ: Born in 1956, Norah al-Faiz
hails from Shaqra in conservative central Saudi Arabia. She
received her bachelor's degree from King Sa'ud University and
obtained her Masters degree in educational techniques from
Utah State University. She departs her position at the
well-respected Institute of Public Administration, an entity
that provides English, computer and office management
training to young Saudi women entering the job market. Under
Al-Faiz's leadership, the Institute's service was in great
demand: recently, 3000 women applied for 76 available
openings. Prior to the Institute, Al-Faiz served as the
girls' school principal for the private and prominent Kingdom
Schools. Public opinion of Al-Faiz is positive. She is
highly regarded among liberals and conservatives alike as a
moderate voice for change. She carries with her a reputation
as a strong and fair leader who is open-minded and
hard-working.
5. (C) WHAT ARE CONSERVATIVES SAYING?: "Not a word"
according to one contact. While moderates and liberals are
hailing the significance of the moment, embassy contacts
indicate that conservatives "must still be in shock."
MUENCH
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT PASS TO NEA/ARP (HARRIS, BLONG),NEA/PPD
(DOUGLAS, BENZE),NEA/IIP (DENIG),NEA/NESCA (HICKEY)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2019
TAGS: OIIP PGOV PHUM SA
SUBJECT: SAUDI ABUZZ WITH APPOINTMENT OF FEMALE DEPUTY
MINISTER
Classified By: CDA Sandra Muench for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
KEY POINTS (SBU):
-- Saudi King Abdallah bin Abdulaziz exceeded reformists'
hopes February 14 when he appointed Norah al-Faiz as one of
two Deputy Ministers of Education. Al-Faiz, considered an
expert on women's education, becomes the highest ranking
female government employee. She will direct women's primary
and secondary education kingdom-wide.
-- Saudis see Al-Faiz, former director of the Institute of
Public Administration, as a moderate advocate for change with
credibility founded on experience rather than the prominence
of family connections. Working with the embassy, Al-Faiz has
hosted women's empowerment workshops and supported US-based
training for women.
-- The king's announcement quickly reverberated throughout
Saudi society. News spread via television, radio, phone and
text messaging. "It's a movement," said one contact.
END KEY POINTS.
1. (SBU) THE SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT: Saudi King Abdallah bin
Abdulaziz reshaped his senior leadership today, February 14.
His numerous changes targeted the judicial and education
sectors, strongholds of conservatism in Saudi government.
The most visible change comes with the appointment of the
first female Deputy Minister. Norah al-Faiz, most recently
the Director of the Institute of Public Administration, fills
a newly-created position, Deputy Minister of Education for
Women's Education. She will direct women's primary and
secondary education.
2. (C) IMMEDIATE REACTION: Text messages flew and cell
phones rang incessantly as Saudis learned of the news. "This
signals change," said one contact. "It's a movement; people
are feeling it," said another. "The first thing I'm going to
do is go home, turn on the television, the radio and the
computer," said a university professor. "I'm going to learn
everthing I can about it," she added.
3. (SBU) QUALIFICATIONS, NOT CONNECTIONS: As surprising as
the Al-Faiz announcement was, Saudis noted that gender alone
was not Al-Faiz's only distinguishing characteristic. Saudis
took note that Al-Faiz is not from among the most prominent
families. Although she is widely regarded as an "expert on
girls' education," "she doesn't even have a PhD" noted one
contact, "she only has a Masters degree." Throughout her
career, Al-Faiz has supported training programs for women of
all levels of society. She collaborated with the embassy by
hosting women's empowerment training via the US Speakers
Program and nominating women for US-based training via the US
Voluntary Visitors Program. Early in her career, Al-Faiz was
a regular at US embassy functions.
4. (SBU) MORE ABOUT AL-FAIZ: Born in 1956, Norah al-Faiz
hails from Shaqra in conservative central Saudi Arabia. She
received her bachelor's degree from King Sa'ud University and
obtained her Masters degree in educational techniques from
Utah State University. She departs her position at the
well-respected Institute of Public Administration, an entity
that provides English, computer and office management
training to young Saudi women entering the job market. Under
Al-Faiz's leadership, the Institute's service was in great
demand: recently, 3000 women applied for 76 available
openings. Prior to the Institute, Al-Faiz served as the
girls' school principal for the private and prominent Kingdom
Schools. Public opinion of Al-Faiz is positive. She is
highly regarded among liberals and conservatives alike as a
moderate voice for change. She carries with her a reputation
as a strong and fair leader who is open-minded and
hard-working.
5. (C) WHAT ARE CONSERVATIVES SAYING?: "Not a word"
according to one contact. While moderates and liberals are
hailing the significance of the moment, embassy contacts
indicate that conservatives "must still be in shock."
MUENCH