Saudi Arabia sends an ambassador to the United States for the first time. Princess Rima Bint, Bandar Al Saud, is to lead the diplomatic mission in Washington, according to a statement by the royal family in Riyadh, issued by the Saudi agency SPA.
The US-trained princess was listed by the Forbes magazine for the Middle East in 16th place among the 200 most powerful women in the Arab world, the agency wrote. Among other things, she ran the department store of luxury chain Harvey Nichols in Riyadh, is involved in the fight against breast cancer and led the Saudi Arabian Association for Popular Sports. In this capacity she promoted greater participation of women in sports activities.
Princess Rima is a daughter of Bandar bin Sultan al Saud, US Ambassador to the Kingdom for over 20 years. She grew up accordingly in Washington and studied at Mount Vernon College of George Washington University. She advises the transport service provider Uber on the board, which also joined in 2017 as ex- "picture" editor-in-chief Kai Diekmann.
Predecessor changes to the Ministry of Defense
In Saudi Arabia, women continue to be severely restricted. More recently there had been some easing - for example, the first driver's license for a woman. Most recently, however, women's rights activists who demanded stronger steps were arrested.
In Washington, she follows Khalid bin Salman, the younger brother of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to become deputy minister of defense in Riyadh. The two had come after the murder of the anti-government journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul internationally criticized.
According to a CIA report, Khashoggi is said to have telephoned Ambassador Khalid bin Salman. In the phone call he was assured that he could safely pick up the necessary papers for his wedding in the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul. The embassy denies that such a phone call has taken place.