Tributes have been paid around the world to Saudi King Abdullah who has died. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, many senior dignitaries praised
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Tributes have been paid around the world to Saudi King Abdullah who has died.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, many senior dignitaries praised his rule as courageous for pushing through cautious changes.
The International Monetary Fund’s Managing Director Christine Lagarde said: “He was a great leader who implemented a lot of reforms at home and in a very discreet way was a strong advocate of women. Saudi Arabia is for traders, a place where women don’t play quite the same role, but his Majesty was determine to actually change the situation.”
Sentiments shared by the former Israeli President Shimon Peres who described him as a thoughtful leader.
“He is a real loss for Saudi Arabia and a real loss for the Middle East peace process. He was an experienced leader and a wise king,” said Peres.
China was also full of praise for Abdullah, welcoming his efforts to stabilise the region.
A foreign ministry spokeswoman said: “King Abdullah was an outstanding leader in who was committed to promting the country’s development and protecting peace and stability in the Middle East and Gulf region.”