Order of King Abdulaziz explained

Order of King Abdulaziz
Awarded By:	The King of Saudi Arabia
Type:	Order of merit with 5 degrees
Status:	currently constituted
Head Title:	Sovereign
Head:	Salman
Established:	20 March 1971
Higher:	Great Chain of Badr
Lower:	Order of King Faisal

The Order of King Abdulaziz (Arabic: وسام الملك عبد العزيز Wisām al-malik ‘Abd al-‘Azīz) is a Saudi Arabian order of merit. The order was named after Abdulaziz Al Saud, founder of the modern Saudi state.^[1]

History

In 1971, the introduction of orders was announced in a decree.^{[2] [3]} It was instituted by King Faisal on 20 March 1971.^[4] However, the order had been awarded before that date unsystematically.^[5] These earliest versions were produced by Bichay in Cairo, Egypt.^[5] The early version of the order was called Great Chain of Badr. The Saudi king, Fons honorum of the orders, confirmed the decree in his Royal decree.^[6]

Collar of the Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud

The collar is regarded as a separate order. It also confers the highest rank in the Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud, and, unlike the Great Chain of Badr, is awarded to non-Muslim heads of state.

The Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud

The order is awarded to citizens of Saudi Arabia and foreigners for meritorious service to the Kingdom. The Council of Ministers makes the nominations but the King confers awards to foreigners himself when he determines it to be appropriate. Awardees enter in the 4th class of the order, with the exception of ministers and appointees for bravery, who can enter the order in a higher class. Members of the order can advance to the next higher class every five years.

The number of Saudi conferments is limited annually. The statutes of the order stipulate no more than 20 grand sashes of the distinguished class. Up to 40, 60, 80 and 100 awards can be granted to members of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th classes, respectively.

Classes

The Classes include:

• Special Class (comparable with "Grand Cordon"). A sash with pendant is worn on the right shoulder, plus a star on the left chest;
• Distinguished First Class (comparable with "Grand Officer"). The insignia is worn on a necklet, plus a golden star on the left chest;
• First Class (comparable with "Commander 1st Class"). The insignia is worn on a necklet, plus a silver star on the left chest;
• Second Class (comparable with "Commander"). The insignia is worn on a necklet;
• Third Class (comparable with "Officer"). A badge is worn on a ribbon with a rosette on the left chest;
• Fourth Class (comparable with "Knight"). A badge is worn on a ribbon on the left chest.

The Saudis avoid words like "cross" (as in "Grand-Cross") and "knight".

The order is sometimes referred to as the:

• King Abdulaziz Order of Merit
• King Abdulaziz Al Saud Excellence Medal
• King Abdulaziz Medal

Notable recipients

Saudi royalty

• Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud^[7]
• King Faisal^[8]
• Fahd bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Saud^[9]
• Muqrin bin Abdulaziz Al Saud^[10]
• Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – King Abdulaziz Medal (First Class)^[11]
• Sara bint Faisal bin Abdulaziz – King Abdulaziz Medal (First Class; 2013)^[12]
• Sattam bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – King Abdulaziz Medal (First Class)^[13]
• Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud (2011)^[14]
• Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – King Abdulaziz Medal (First Class; 2011)^[15]
• Turki bin Nasser Al Saud – King Abdulaziz Medal (First Class)^[16]
• Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud – King Abdulaziz Medal (First Class; 2002)^[17]
• Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – King Abdulaziz Sash (Special Class; 1976)^[18]

Politicians and officials

• Abiy Ahmed – Prime Minister of Ethiopia (16 September 2018)^[19]
• Beji Caid Essebsi – President of Tunisia (29 March 2019)^[20]
• Isaias Afwerki – President of Eritrea (16 September 2018)^[19]
• Petro Poroshenko – President of Ukraine (1 November 2017)^[21]
• Donald Trump – Former President of the United States of America, Collar of Abdulaziz Al Saud (20 May 2017)^[22]
• Theresa May – Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (Special Class, 6 April 2017)^[23]
• Narendra Modi – Prime Minister of India, Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud (Special Class, 3 April 2016)^[24]
• Mubarak bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Emirati official^[25]
• Jacob Zuma – President of South Africa (28 March 2016)^[26]
• Xi Jinping – President of China and General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, Medal of King Abdulaziz (20 January 2016)^[27]
• Enrique Peña Nieto – President of Mexico, Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud (Special Class, 17 January 2016)
• Imran Khan, the Prime Minister of Pakistan (2021)^[28]
• Joko Widodo – President of Indonesia, Medal of King Abdulaziz (First Class, September 2015)^[29]
• Abdel Fattah el-Sisi – President of Egypt, Medal of King Abdulaziz (First Class; August 2014)
• François Hollande – Former President of France, (Special Class, 30 December 2013)
• David Cameron – Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (8 November 2012)
• Manmohan Singh – Prime Minister of India, Order of King Abdulaziz Al Saud (First Class, 28 February 2010)^[30]
• Najib Tun Razak – Former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Medal of King Abdulaziz (First Class, 19 January 2010)^[31]
• Giorgio Napolitano - Former President of Italy, Collar of the Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud (5 November 2007)
• Silvio Berlusconi – Former Prime Minister of Italy, Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud (First Class; 22 November 2009)^[32]
• Bashar al-Assad – President of Syria, Medal of King Abdulaziz (8 October 2009)^{[33] [34]}
• Barack Obama – Former President of the United States, King Abdul Aziz Order of Merit (June 2009)^[35]
• Mohammad Al Jasser – Saudi minister, Medal of King Abdulaziz (First Class; May 2009)^[36]
• George W. Bush – Former President of the United States, Medal of King Abdulaziz (First Class; 14 January 2008)^[37]
• Mohammed VI – King of Morocco (18 May 2007)^[38]
• Carl XVI Gustaf - King of Sweden, Collar of the Order of Abdulaziz al Saud
• Shinzō Abe – Prime Minister of Japan, Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud (Special Class; April 2007)^[39]
• Vladimir Putin – President of Russia (12 February 2007)^[40]
• Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah – Kuwaiti royal and politician, Medal of King Abdulaziz (First Class)
• Edmond Leburton – Former Prime Minister of Belgium
• Bill Clinton – Former President of the United States
• Gyanendra of Nepal – Former King of Nepal
• Hussein bin Talal - Former King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Collar of Abdulaziz Al Saud (1960)
• Hosni Mubarak - Former President of Egypt
• Mohammed bin Ali Aba Al Khail – Former Saudi Finance Minister, 2nd Class Sash^[41]
• Ray Mabus – Former ambassador of the United States to Saudi Arabia (April 1996)^[42]
• Shakhbout bin Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan – Former ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Saudi Arabia, 2nd Class Sash (February 2021)^[43]
• Syed Nasir Ali Rizvi - Former Federal Minister of Pakistan for Housing and Urban development (1976)
• Halimah Yacob – President of Singapore (6 November 2019)
• Haitham bin Tariq – Sultan of Oman, (11 July 2021)^[44]
• Cyril Ramaphosa – President of South Africa (12 July 2018)^[45]
• Al-Muhtadee Billah – Crown Prince of Brunei (3 January 1999)^[46]

Military

• Mohammed Aly Fahmy – Egyptian Air Force Chief (First class)^[47]
• Pervez Musharraf – Pakistan's President & Chief of Army Staff
• Raheel Sharif – Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff^[48]
• Qamar Javed Bajwa – Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff^[49]
• Lt. Gen Mian Muhammad Afzaal (Shaheed) – Pakistan Army's Chief Of General Staff - (1987)
• Tariq Majid – Pakistan's Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (2009)^[50]
  • Lt. General James Ahmann – US Air Force Commander USMTM Ali Shamkhani – Former Defence Minister of Iran^[51]
• Sir Alan William John West – Chief of British Naval Staff (2004), Medal of King Abdulaziz (First Class)^[52]
• Katsutoshi Kawano – Chief of Staff of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (February 2014)
• Stephane Abrial – Former SACT
• Denis Mercier – Former Chief of Staff of the French Air Force
• Necdet Özel – Chief of Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces (2012)
• Zubair Mahmood Hayat – Pakistan's Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee
• Muhammad Zakaullah – Chief of the Naval Staff, Pakistan Navy (2 October 2017)
  • Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed - Chief of Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force Farooq Feroze Khan - Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Pakistan]
• Sohail Aman - Chief of Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force (10 February 2018)
• Belal Shafiul Huq - Chief of Army Staff, Bangladesh Army (8 March 2018)
• Aziz Ahmed - Chief of Army Staff, Bangladesh Army (4 February 2018)^[53]

Others

• Krzysztof Płomiński – Polish diplomat
• Samar Al Homoud (King Abdulaziz Medal of First Class)^[54]
• Sultan Alromayan (King Abdulaziz Medal of Fourth Class)

See also

• Orders, decorations, and medals of Saudi Arabia

Further reading

• Guy Stair Sainty and Rafal Heydel-Mankoo, World Orders of Knighthood and Merit", London 2006.

External links

• Photos of the Order

Notes and References

1. Web site: Military Medals of Saudi Arabia - Archives King Saud. www.kingsaud.org. en. 2018-04-22.
2. No.122 van 24 1-1391
3. No.123 of 24 1-1391
4. Web site: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: King Abdulaziz Order of Merit. Medals. 18 July 2013.
5. Web site: Raw Rees. Owain. The Awards of King Saud. King Saud website. 18 July 2013. Jeddah. May 1999.
6. No.4 of 25 1-1391
7. Web site: His Royal Highness Prince Bandar bin Sultan. Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia. 14 September 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130921155740/http://www.saudiembassy.net/about/princebandar.aspx. 21 September 2013.
8. News: البترول العربى ليس بأغلى من الدم.. صفحات خالدة من مسيرة القائد العربي الملك فيصل. 30 July 2021. Al Ahram. 14 April 2021. Arabic.
9. News: Al Mulhim. Abdulateef. Prince Fahd bin Abdullah: An admiral and a desert lover. 8 August 2013. Arab News. 24 April 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130815214204/http://arabnews.com/news/449196. 15 August 2013. dead.
10. Book: Who's Who in the Arab World 2007-2008. 2007. K. G. Saur. 9783598077357. 718. 10.1515/9783110930047. 18th . Publitec Publications.
11. Web site: Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz. Saudi Embassy. 19 July 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130906232734/http://saudiembassy.net/about/NayefbinAbdulaziz.aspx. 6 September 2013.
12. Saudi Arabia: Princess Sara honoured Medal of First Class. Gulf States Newsletter . 946 . 9 August 2013.
13. Web site: His royal highness Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz. Riyadh Government. 8 August 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130925074354/http://www.riyadh.gov.sa/en/Pages/Princes/Princes.aspx?ItemId=9. 25 September 2013. dead.
14. News: جريدة الرياض . جريدة الرياض : وزير الدفاع يقلد الفريق الوقداني والفريق خالد بن بندر وسام الملك عبدالعزيز. Al Riyadh. 12 December 2011. 14 February 2013.
15. News: Head of King Khalid Award announces names of winners. 18 July 2013. Ain Alyaqeen. 25 November 2011.
16. Web site: His Royal Highness Prince Turki bin Nasser bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Saudi Environmental Society. 14 September 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131103062750/http://www.sens.org.sa/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23&Itemid=64&lang=en. 3 November 2013.
17. Web site: Medals. Al Waleed Al Saud Official website. 14 September 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130922172752/http://www.alwaleed.com.sa/awards/medals/. 22 September 2013. dead.
18. Web site: AOU and KNG organize Crisis and Disaster Management in Kuwait and the role of KNG Symposium. www.arabou.edu.kw. 4 October 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20181223073636/https://www.arabou.edu.kw/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=82:hrh-prince-talal&tmpl=component&print=1. 23 December 2018. dead.
19. https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2018/09/16/Eritrea-president-Ethiopia-PM-reach-Jeddah-to-sign-historic-peace-deal Saudi king sponsors historic Jeddah peace pact between Eritrea, Ethiopia
20. News: King Salman, Tunisian president hold talks, oversee signing of two deals & confer medals. 29 March 2019. Saudi Gazette. 25 July 2019.
21. http://www.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=en&newsid=1683377#1683377 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and President of Ukraine Attend Signing Ceremony of Draft Cooperation Program and Memoranda of Understanding between the Two Countries
22. Web site: Michael D. Shear. Peter Baker. Trump Gets a Gold Medal as Welcome From Saudi King. The New York Times. 20 May 2017. 20 May 2017.
23. Web site: Saudi King awards Theresa May honour for "meritorious service". 5Pillars.
24. Web site: Modi conferred highest Saudi civilian honour. 3 April 2016. Hindustan times. 3 April 2016 .
25. News: Rym Ghazal. Nation mourns Sheikh Mubarak. The National. 25 February 2010. 9 November 2022.
26. Web site: South Africa emerging as one of the most popular trade and investment destinations. Imran Syed. 30 April 2017. Saudi Gazette.
27. News: Xi Jinping Holds Talks with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia Two Heads of State Jointly Announce Establishment of China-Saudi Arabia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. 22 August 2016. Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China. 20 January 2016.
28. Web site: Imran awarded Bahrain’s highest civil award . 2024-01-30 . www.thenews.com.pk . en.
29. News: Jokowi Receives King Abdul Azis Medal. 12 September 2015. Tempo.co. 12 September 2015.
30. Web site: The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh being felicitated by the King of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on February 28, 2010. . 15 October 2021 . 13 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221113142939/https://archive.pib.gov.in/photo//2010/Mar/l2010030127562.jpg . live .
31. Web site: Najib receives award. PR Newswire. 8 September 2013.
32. http://www.ilcittadinomb.it/stories/Cronaca/187567/ Italia-Arabia/A Berlusconi la più alta onorificenza reale saudita
33. News: القمــــــــــة الســـــــــورية الســـــــــعودية... الرئيس الأسد وخادم الحرمين الشريفين يبحثان آفاق التعاون ويتبادلان أرفع وسامين وطنيين.. تعزيز العمل العربي المشترك - رفع الحصار عن الفلسطينيين. Al Thawra. 8 October 2009. 16 September 2018 . ar.
34. News: الملك عبدالله والرئيس الأسد يتفقان على إزالة العوائق في العلاقات الثنائية والتنسيق على جميع المستويات. Al Riyadh. 8 October 2009. 16 September 2018. ar.
35. News: Obama's ties with Saudi Arabia? Solid gold. https://web.archive.org/web/20121129022101/http://blogs.reuters.com/talesfromthetrail/2009/06/03/obamas-ties-with-saudi-arabia-solid-gold/. dead. 29 November 2012. Reuters. 3 June 2009.
36. News: The world's 50 most influential Arabs. 14 August 2013. The Middle East. 1 May 2009.
37. News: Bush Visits Saudi Arabia for Talks With King Abdullah. 26 March 2013. Associated Press.
38. https://web.archive.org/web/20120608010053/http://www.map.ma/en/morocco-2/the-king HM King Mohammed VI
39. News: 石油備蓄で基地提供提案 安倍首相、サウジ国王に. 47news. 29 April 2007. 18 July 2013.
40. Atul Aneja Putin goes calling on the Saudis. The Hindu. 20 February 2007
41. Book: Who's Who in the Arab World 2007-2008. 2007. Publitec. Beirut. 9783598077357. 17. 10.1515/9783110930047. 18th. Publitec Publications .
42. News: Saudis Honor Outgoing Mabus. 20 May 2021. The Associated Press. 28 April 1996.
43. News: The Minister of Foreign Affairs hands Sheikh Shakhbout Al Nahyan the second-class King Abdulaziz Sash. 19 May 2021. TendersInfo News. 18 February 2021.
44. Web site: 11 July 2021. Sultan Haitham and King Salman hold talks in NEOM during Saudi Arabia visit. 11 July 2021. Arab News.
45. https://mobile.twitter.com/presidencyza/status/1017439617648418816 Twitter
46. Web site: Attorney General's Chambers - Senior Minister . 2023-03-04 . www.agc.gov.bn.
47. Book: Who's Who in the Arab World 2007-2008. Beirut. Publitec Publications. 2011. 978-3-11-093004-7. 18th. 293.
48. News: Gen Raheel meets with Saudi political, military leadership. 18 February 2014. Dawn. 5 February 2014.
49. Web site: Saudi Arabia confers Order of King Abdulaziz on Pakistan's military chief . 26 June 2022 .
50. Web site: Mohayya, Chief of General Staff, conferring King Abdul Aziz Al Saud Excellence Medal which is the highest military award of Saudi Armed Forces, to General Tariq Majid, CJCSC on behalf of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. ISPR. 3 December 2012.
51. http://www.shafaqna.com/persian/other-services/countries/iran/item/51228-%D8%B9%D9%84%DB%8C-%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%AE%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%8C-%D8%AF%D8%A8%DB%8C%D8%B1-%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%84%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%AA-%D9%85%D9%84%DB%8C-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B4%D8%AF.html علی شمخانی، دبیر شورای عالی امنیت ملی ایران شد
52. News: Today in History. 19 July 2013. SeaWaves. 20 November 2008. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131110192018/http://www.seawaves.com/newsletters/TDIH/november/20nov.txt. 10 November 2013.
53. http://www.arabnews.com/node/1243661/saudi-arabia#photo/0 Arab News
54. News: Saudi women proceed with ambition and empowerment within the framework of Vision 2030. 19 October 2020. BNA. 26 April 2019.