(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) Monarchs, world leaders and senior officials flocked to Saudi Arabia to pay their respects for the departed King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, and to offer their congratulations to his newly-enthroned successor.
They arrived to commiserate and to congratulate Saudi Arabia's new King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Deputy Premier Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz and Deputy Crown Prince, Second Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Prince Mohammad bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz.
These included several members of global monarchy like King Felipe VI of Spain, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Crown Prince of Norway Haakon Magnus, Britain's Charles Prince of Wales and Frederik Crown Prince of Denmark.
Also present were the presidents of France Francois Hollande, Egypt Abdelfatah Al-Sisi, Tunisia Beji Caid Essebsi and Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani and Vice-President of India Mohammad Hamid-Ansari, Vice-President of Nigeria Namadi Sambo and the Prime Minister of Lebanon Tammam Salam, alongside parliament speaker Nabih Berri and ex-president Michel Suleiman.
Delegations from Russia, Turkey, Yemen, Jordan, Morocco, Iran, Sweden, Ukraine, Norway, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic and Hungary also arrived.
According to reports, US President Barack Obama is expected to arrive on Tuesday after cutting short a visit to India.
Expressing his sorrow over the loss was the Arab League's Human Rights Committee chief Hadi bin Ali Al-Yami, who praised the late leader as having contributed "a huge mass of accomplishments" over his nine-year tenure.
"On the scale of foreign policy, the late king contributed to raising the profile and position of the Kingdom at international podiums," Al-Yami said in a statement.
"He also enhanced global peace and security through his unmistakable initiatives - namely his creation of a dialogue between faiths, civilisations and cultures," added the Arab League official.
Meanwhile, the Saudi Royal Court announced Sunday a public holiday for state institutions, schools and banks across the country.
The decision, taken by King Salman bin Abdulaziz, is to give the public ample time to pay their respects and to carry out 'pledge of allegiance' rituals in honour of the new king and his deputies.
King Abdullah received a common burial in central Riyadh after passing away early on Friday sparking huge tributes around the world in his honour and most Arab nations announcing three days of mourning.
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