Foreign Policy Decision-Making in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Main Institutions and Factors of Influence

Abstract

Saudi Arabia is one of the leaders in the Arab-Muslim world. The kingdom dominates most regional organizations and through them exerts influence by promoting its interests. Thus, there is a need to understand the Saudi logic, exactly how the Kingdom makes foreign policy decisions. This article examines the foreign policy decision-making process in Saudi Arabia. The intra-state, international and individual levels are described in detail, as their interaction makes up the final foreign policy decisions. In examining the process of foreign policy decision-making in Saudi Arabia, special attention is paid to the individual level, which subsequently allowed us to reveal the role of the crown prince in this mechanism and to analyze his behavior in terms of leadership typology. Based on the results, the article draws conclusions not only about the factors that influence foreign policy decisions, but also determines their importance in the promotion of certain interests. In addition, the coherence, modernization, and effectiveness of the Saudi decision-making system as a whole are summarized separately.

Acknowledgments. The study was financially supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research within the framework of the scientific project No. 20-014-00039А «Models and risks of cooperation in the region of the Near and Middle East in the first quarter of the 21st century».