Saudi Arabia > Regional Authorities Establishment Act
- { Adopted on: 1 March 1992 }
{ ICL Document Status: Oct 1993 }
Article 1
This Statute is aimed at improving the level of administrative work and development in the regions of the Kingdom. It is also aimed at maintaining security and order, and at guaranteeing the rights and liberties of citizens in the framework of the Islamic Shari'ah.
Article 2
The regions of the Kingdom and the headquarters of the Emirate of each region are organized by a Royal Decree upon the recommendation of the interior minister.
Article 3
Administratively, each region consists of a number of governorates, districts and centers created after taking account of demographic, geographical, and security considerations, environmental conditions and communications. The governorates are organized by a Royal Decree upon the recommendation of the Emir of the region.
Article 4
For every region there is an Emir
with the rank of minister, with a deputy of distinguished grade to assist him in his work and to deputize for him in his absence. The Emir and his deputy are appointed to and relieved of their posts by a Royal Decree upon the recommendation of the Interior Minister.Article 5
The Emir of the region is accountable to the interior minister.
Article 6
The Emir and his deputy, before they take up their responsibilities, take the following oath before the King: "I swear by Almighty God to be loyal to my religion and then to my King and country, and not to disclose any of the State's secrets, and to protect its interests and laws and to discharge my duties with honesty, trust, loyalty and justice.
Article 7
Every Emir will assume the administration of the region in accordance with the general policy of the State, and in accordance with the rules of this Statute and other Statutes and motions. In particular he must:
(a) Maintain security, order and stability, and take the necessary measures to this end, in accordance with regulations and motion.s.
(b) Carry out judicial judgements after they become final.
(c) Guarantee the rights and liberties of individuals, and take no measure that will harm these rights and liberties, except within the limits decided by the judiciary and the law.
(d) Work for the social,economic and urban development of the region.
(e) Work for the development of public services in the region, and promote them.
(f) Administer governorates, districts and localities, and control the work of governors, district directors and heads of locality, and ensure that they discharge their duties in an adequate manner.
(g) Protect the assets and property of the state, and prevent any transgression upon them.
(h) Supervise the organs of the state and their employees in the region in order to ensure that they perform their duties well and with all trust and loyalty, taking into account the ties of the employees of ministries and various services in the region withtheir competent authorities.
(i) Have direct contact with ministers and heads of service, and discuss the affairs of the region with them in order to improve the performance of the bodies under his authority, and inform the interior minister about this.
(j) Present annual reports to the interior minister on the performance of public services in the region, and other affairs of the region as defined by the executory motion of this Statute.
Article 8
An annual meeting of the Emirs of regions is to take place under the chairmanship of the interior minister to discuss issues related to regions; the interior minister submits a report on this matter to the chairman of the Council of Ministers.
Article 9
A meeting of the governors of governorates and directors of districts is to take place at least twice a year under the chairmanship of the Emir of the region to discuss matters of the region; the Emir submits a report on this issue to the minister for the interior.
Article 10
(a) For each region, one under-secretary or more may be appointed with a rank no less than grade 14, in accordance with a decision by the Council of Ministers upon the recommendation of the interior minister.
(b) Each Governorate has a governor with a rank no less than grade 14; he is appointed by a decision of the chairman of the Council of Ministers upon the recommendation of the interior minister; the Governorate has an under-secretary whose rank is no less than grade 12 and who is appointed by a decision of the interior minister upon the recommendation of the region's governor.
(c) Each group B governorate will have a Governor of not less than 12th grade by a decision of the interior minister based on recommendation of the region's governor.
(d) Each group A center will have a chairman of not less than eighth grade. He will be appointed by a decision of the interior minister based on a recommendation of the region's governor.
(e) Each group B center will have a chairman of not less than fifth grade. He will be appointed by a decision of the region's governor.
Article 11
Governors of the regions, governors of the Governorates and chairmen of the centers should have their residences at the venues of their work and should not leave their place of work without permission from their direct superiors.
Article 12
Governors of Governorates and chairmen of centers will assume their duties in the concerned administrative zones within the authority delegated to them.
Article 13
Governors of Governorates should administer their areas according to specifications mentioned in Article 7, except what is contained in columns "waw", "Ta" and "Ya" of the article. They should supervise the works of the chairmen of centers and their staff. They should ascertain their efficiency in performing their duties and submit periodic reports to the governor of the region on the efficiency of their public service performance and other matters related to affairs of the governorates in line with the executive regulations for this system.
Article 14
Each ministry or government department has services in the region. It appoints a head over its bodies in the region whosegrade is not less than the twelfth grade. This head is directly related to the central body and his duty is to coordinate with the Emir of the region in the field of his work.
Article 15
A council is created in each region and is called the region's council. The headquarters of this council are situated in the town where the Emir of the region has his headquarters.
Article 16
The region's council consists of:
(a) The region's Emir as chairman
(b) The deputy Emir of the region as the deputy chairman
(c) The Emir's assistant
(d) The heads of the government's bodies in the region are appointed in accordance with a decision by the Prime Minister on the recommendation of the Interior Minister
(e) A number of residents whose number is not less than ten. These should be men of science, experience and specialization. They are appointed by the Prime Minister on the recommendation of the region's Emir, and on the approval of the interior ministry. Their membership lasts four years, which can be renewed.
Article 17
A council member must be:
(a) Of Saudi nationality by birth and upbringing.
(b) Of recognized rectitude and competence.
(c) No younger than 30.
(d) to be a resident of his region.
Article 18
A member is to submit proposals in writing to the chairman of the Regional Council on matters within the Council's jurisdiction. The chairman is to include every proposal on the Council agenda with a view to putting it forward for examination.
Article 19
A member of a Regional Council cannot attend the deliberations of the Council or of its committees if the topic raised relates to a personal matter, to a matter pertaining to another person whose testimony is not accepted or to a person for whom the member is acting as guardian, proxy or representative.
Article 20
Should the appointed member wish to resign, he is to submit a request to that effect to the interior minister through the Emir of the region concerned. The resignation will not be considered effective until the prime minister has approved it on the recommendation of the interior minister.
Article 21
Apart from the cases mentioned in this Statute, an appointed member cannot be dismissed during his membership period except by an order of the prime minister, acting on a proposal of the interior minister.
Article 22
Should a vacancy arise for any specific reason, a replacement is to be designated within three months of the date at which the vacancy arose. The new member will then fill the vacancy for the remainder of his predecessor's period, in accordance with Article 16 (e) of this law.
Article 23
The Council of the Region is responsible for studying any aspect that could improve the standard of services in the region; its particular prerogatives are as follows:
(a) To define the needs of the region and propose theirinclusion in the state's plan of development.
(b) To specify useful projects in accordance with a scale of priorities and propose their endorsement in the state's annual budget.
(c) To study plans for the organization of cities and towns of the region and follow-up their implementation once they are endorsed.
(d) To follow-up aspects related to the region vis-a-vis the plan of development while observing a balance and co-ordination in this matter.
Article 24
The Regional Council tables any proposal involving generally useful work for the citizens of the region and encourages citizens to contribute in this respect, the proposal should be submitted to the interior minister.
Article 25
The Regional Council is prohibited from looking into any subject that is outside the scope of its prerogatives as stipulated for it by this law; its decisions will be null and void if it exceeds this scope; the interior minister issues a decision in this matter.
Article 26
The Regional Council will hold an ordinary session every three months at the invitation of its chairman, and the chairman may call for an extraordinary meeting if he deems fit. The session will include the meeting or meetings held following one invitation, and the session may be closed only after all the points on the agenda have been examined and discussed.
Article 27
The presence at the meetings of the Regional Council is considered as a duty related to the function of members mentioned in Article 16 (c) and (d) of this Statute. They must attend in person or a person must attend in lieu of them in the event of their being away from work. As for the members mentioned in Article 16 (e), the absence of a member at two successive sessions without an acceptable excuse is grounds for dismissal from the Council. In this case, this member must not be appointed again to membership of the Council before two years have passed since the date of the decision of his dismissal.
Article 28
The meetings of the Council are in order only if at least two-thirds of members attend them. It adopts its decisions by an absolute majority of votes of Council members. If votes are equal, then the chairman has the casting vote.
Article 29
The regional Council must, if necessary, form special committees to examine any decree falling within the scope of its prerogatives. It can enlist the help of experienced people and specialists. It can also invite anyone it likes to attend Council meetings and to take part in the discussion without having the right to vote.
Article 30
The interior minister can summon the Council to convene under his chairmanship at any venue he chooses. The minister also chairs any meeting he attends.
Article 31
The Regional Council can convene only at the request of its chairman or his deputy or by order of the interior minister.
Article 32
The chairman of the Council has to submit a copy of the reportsto the interior minister.
Article 33
The chairman of the Regional Council has to inform the ministries and government departments about the resolutions concerning them which are passed by the Council.
Article 34
Ministries and government departments have to comply with the resolutions passed by the Regional Council in accordance with the contents of Article 23 (a) and (b). If a ministry or government department sees fit not to agree with a resolution passed by the Regional Council on what has been mentioned it has to clarify the reasons for this to the Regional Council. If the Regional Council is not convinced that the reasons given by the ministry or government department are suitable it will refer the case to the interior minister, who will then refer it to the chairman of the Council of Ministers.
Article 35
Every ministry or department with services in the region will notify the Regional Council about the projects decided for the region in the budget as soon as it is issued. It will also notify the Council about the development plan decided for the region.
Article 36
Any minister or head of service can seek the views of the regional Council about any subject connected with his jurisdiction in the region. The council has to offer it's view in this regard.
Article 37
Upon the recommendation of the interior minister, the Council of Ministers decides on the remuneration of the chairman of the regional Council and its members, taking account of the costs of transport and residence.
Article 38
The Regional Council can only be dissolved by a decision of the chairman of the Council of Ministers upon the recommendation of the interior minister. If that happens, new members should be appointed within three months of the date of dissolution. During the period when the Council is dissolved, the members mentioned in Article 16 (c) and (d) under the chairmanship of the emir of the region will exercise the powers of the Council.
Article 39
The Regional Council has a secretariat residing in the region's Emirate, which will undertake the preparation of it's agenda, extending timely invitations to meetings, recording the discussions that take place during the meetings, counting votes, preparing the minutes of the meetings, drafting the decisions, carrying out the necessary work to organize the Council's meetings and recording its decisions.
Article 40
The interior minister will issue the necessary bills to implement this Statute.