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DE RUEHDH #0028/01 0391237
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P R 081237Z FEB 10
FM AMCONSUL DHAHRAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0402
INFO RUEHZM/GCC C COLLECTIVE
RUEHDH/AMCONSUL DHAHRAN 0526

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAHRAN 000028 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP JOSHUA HARRIS AND JEREMY BERNDT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  2/8/2020 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ECON KWMN SA
SUBJECT: TWO WOMEN APPOINTED TO THE EASTERN PROVINCE CHAMBER OF 
COMMERCE BOARD 
 
REF: 09 DHAHRAN 275 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Joseph A. Kenny, Consul General, Department of 
State. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
SUMMARY 
 
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¶1. (U) For the first time in the history of the Eastern Province 
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EPCCI), two women were 
appointed to the board.  This follows disappointing results for 
the three different women candidates who ran unsuccessfully for 
the board in the recent elections.  The appointment of two women 
was viewed as an expected yet novel step forward for women in 
the Eastern Province that could not have been realized without 
the Royal Family's leadership--and intervention. END SUMMARY. 
 
 
 
POOR RESULTS AT THE POLLS FOR THE WOMEN CANDIDATES 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶2. (U) Elections for the EPCCI board were held over a five day 
period in late December.  For only the second time in the 
board's history, women were allowed to run for seats on the 
board (REFTEL).  Results for the three women who ran in the 
elections were as follows: 
 
 
 
7        Souad al-Zaidi: 77 votes 
 
7        Dina al-Fares: 17 votes 
 
7        Fawzia al-Karri: 9 votes 
 
 
 
These vote tallies are shockingly small, considering that the 
female membership of the EPCCI alone is over 1,200 strong. 
 
 
 
¶3. (C) Samia al-Edrisi (protect), a prominent Saudi 
businesswoman and former candidate during the first EPCCI 
elections in 2005, said that with the exception of Souad 
al-Zaidi, the female candidates were virtual unknowns and that 
the campaign platforms for all three were unclear.  When 
al-Edrisi and her colleagues at the Women's Business Forum 
appealed to their membership to vote for the women candidates, 
the women said that they refused to vote for the women just 
because of their gender. 
 
 
 
APPOINTMENT PROCESS 
 
------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) After the EPCCI holds elections for 12 of its 18 board 
members, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) appoints 
the remaining six board members (REFTEL).  After the 
disappointing election results for the women candidates, it was 
widely expected that the MOCI would appoint at least one woman 
to the new board.  The Eastern Province Women's Business Forum 
wrote to the MOCI appealing for the appointment of women to the 
board.  On January 11, Minister of Commerce and Industry 
Abdullah Zainal Alireza announced the appointment of the six new 
board members, including two women - Hana Al-Zuhair and Samira 
Al-Suwaigh.  Neither woman ran in the recent elections, but both 
are well-known in the business community.  (Note:  Hana 
Al-Zuhair was selected to the 2010 White House Entrepreneurship 
Summit.  End Note.) 
 
 
 
¶5. (U) After fighting for the inclusion of women while working 
for the EPCCI women's chamber, Al-Zuhair was appointed in 2007 
by the Governor of the Eastern Province Prince Muhammad bin Fahd 
to lead his Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Fund for Supporting 
Small Business Projects for Women.  The Fund, which also houses 
the Princess Jawaher Center for Women's Research and Development 
(REFTEL), is viewed as being on the leading edge of women's 
rights in the Eastern Province.  The Fund has assisted more than 
 a dozen women launch small businesses.  Additionally, Al-Zuhair 
once led a delegation of women entrepreneurs from the EP to 
present their case for increased women's freedoms to the Shura 
Council. Al-Suwaigh is known for her role in the success of the 
Al-Moaibed Group, a conglomerate of businesses in the EP with 
interests in paper products, plastics, petroleum services, and 
heavy haul transportation. 
 
 
DHAHRAN 00000028  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
 
A ROYAL GIFT 
 
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¶6. (C) The dominant view is that the appointment of Al-Zuhair 
and Al-Suwaigh could not have taken place without intervention 
by Prince Muhammad bin Fahd, acting on behalf of King Abdullah. 
PDOFF spoke with Al-Zuhair on the day her appointment was 
announced, and Al-Zuhair emphasized Prince Muhammad's role in 
the appointments.  She was later quoted in EP newspaper Al Yaum: 
"The Saudi Minister of Commerce and Industry decision to appoint 
women to the Chamber Board is a direct result of Saudi 
leadership support for Saudi women and recognition of their 
important role in the Saudi economy . . . This appointment is a 
significant achievement - supported by King Abdullah bin 
Abdulaziz who supports Saudi women." 
 
 
 
¶7. (C) According to Al-Idrisi (protect), King Abdullah also came 
to the rescue when, on one of the days of the election, the 
three women candidates were prevented from entering EPCCI 
grounds where only men are allowed.  The candidates phoned 
Al-Idrisi, who in turn phoned EPCCI Chairman Al-Rashed, who 
phoned the MOCI Minister Alireza, who eventually gave orders to 
allow the women to enter the building.  According to Al-Idrisi, 
the Minister was "obviously" speaking and acting on behalf of 
the King. 
 
 
 
PUBLIC REACTION 
 
--------------- 
 
¶8. (C) Reaction to the news of Al-Zuhair's and Al-Suwaigh's 
appointments was muted, likely because the appointment of at 
least one woman was expected.  One prominent businessman said 
that the appointments were expected because "this is in line 
with the King's vision."  Al-Zuhair said that she is prepared 
for a backlash from conservatives, but has yet to report any 
specific incidents of backlash.  She said that a lot of women 
were not happy with the appointments because the women who were 
appointed did not run in the election. 
 
 
 
IN THEIR FIRST ACT AS BOARD MEMBERS~ 
 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶9. (U) On January 25, board members of the EPCCI re-elected 
U.S.-educated Abdulrahman al-Rashed to his third consecutive 
term as Board Chairman.  He obtained 14 of the 18 possible 
votes. Both al-Suwaigh and al-Zuhair expressed delight in 
al-Rashed's appointment as well as in the opportunity to take 
place in what al-Suwaigh described as a milestone:  "Women 
finally have become part of the decision-making process." 
 
 
 
COMMENT 
 
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¶10.       (C) The appointments of two women to the EPCCI board 
are notable in their impact on the advancement of women's rights 
in the Kingdom.  Perhaps more significant, however, is the 
overall reaction of acceptance, lack of surprise, and full 
acknowledgement that the only way women's rights in Saudi Arabia 
will advance is if the charge is led from the very top.  Every 
positive step is viewed as a direct result of the King's 
influence and leadership.  The enthusiasm about King Abdullah's 
reform agenda and its direct impact on women's rights 
overshadowed the disappointment with lack of advancement from 
the grassroots level.  The groundwork has been laid with the 
appointment of these two women to the EPCCI Board.  The success 
of women candidates in future elections will depend in large 
part on the performance of these two pioneers. 
 
 
 
¶11.       (C) The trend toward greater freedoms and 
participation for women in Saudi society is slow.  However, 
incremental progress for reform is the modus operandi of the 
SAG.  It is expected that such trends will continue, albeit at a 
similarly slow, but measured pace.  End Comment. 
KENNYJA