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The article discusses the backbone role of religion in shaping the domestic and 
foreign policy of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia positions itself as the center of the Muslim world 
and the flagship of Islamic countries. Relations with the Muslim world are considered a priority 
in foreign policy, which consists of several levels of interaction in the external environment. The 
Kingdom pursues a proactive foreign policy both on a bilateral basis and at the level of 
multilateral formats and organizations.
 
Saudi Arabia’s self-identification as an Islamic political state has defined the priority role in 
cooperation with Muslim World. The importance of this fact has proven by location of two 
Muslim holy cities for the whole Islam – Mecca and Medina. 
Since the moment of its foundation, the Kingdom has been seeking to use its significant 
possibilities and resources for the sake of unity among Muslim countries. In order to gain the 

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MERICAN Journal of Public Diplomacy and International Studies
www.
 grnjournal.us 
 
Islamic solidarity, the Kingdom took an active part in the formation of Islamic governmental and 
non-governmental organizations. The international policy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 
(KSA) towards the Islamic countries is being built upon the principles of all-Islamic unity and 
solidarity.
In order to implement the unity of Muslim countries as well as to protect and advance 
their interests by the initiative of the KSA in 1969 the Organization of the Islamic Conference 
the headquarters of which is located in Jeddah,
was established. The Organization of the Islamic 
Conference as an institutional structure takes the second place after the United Nations 
Organization by the number of its member-countries (Sheryazdanova & Smagulova, 2013, p. 
84.). OIC includes 57 Islamic Countries and the countries which have mostly Islamic population. 
OIC member countries are spreading from the Middle East up to Latin America, covering 30% 
of UN member-states and more than 20% of world population (Akhmed, N., 2012.). According 
to the scientists, the Islamic world was in a real need of such organization, which could unite all 
Islamic states for close cooperation based on united Islamic political platform in order to 
influence the world events (Sheryazdanova & Smagulova, 2013, p. 83.). 
After the Second World War some Muslim States have begun to put forward the idea of Islamic 
self-determination and the implementation of its external and internal political course basing on 
this religion. Iran, Pakistan and Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (Voskresenskiy A., 2016.) have been 
declaring their own vision of an Islamic state. In this respect, Saudi Arabia could not take the 
initiative of creating an Islamic organization based on the idea that the true purpose of the state is 
to serve Islam. Moreover, after the Arab-Israeli war of 1967 and arson of Al-Aqsa mosque in 
Jerusalem, the King of Saudi Arabia has threatened to declare Jihad if Israel does not liberate the 
Muslim part of Jerusalem. As we believe, in spite of the anti-Israeli content, the foreign policy of 
the KSA within the OIC is not limited to the creation of anti-Israeli bloc among Muslim 
countries, and aimed at financial support of member
countries of the organization. This is 
perhaps the most powerful foreign policy instrument of the Kingdom against Muslim countries 
following the ideas of Islamic unity and solidarity. 
Within the framework of the organization a Joint Action Plan (2016-2025) has been adopted, 
which includes a joint action of all member-states of the organization for 18 points of burning 
issues such as the settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the fight against counter- terrorism, 
extremism, radicalization, sectarianist and Islamophobia, peace and security, eradication of 
poverty and support of the sustainable development and many other issues. There are a number 
of centers and foundations, with a separate budget located in different member-states of the 
Organization, among which the Islamic solidarity Fund, providing financial assistance not only 
to members of the OIC, but to many Muslim communities in other countries located in Jeddah 
and the Islamic development Bank, mainly under Saudi patronage. More than 25% of the shares 
of IDB belong to the KSA, while Kuwait, UAE, Libya and Turkey, in aggregate, own 50% of the 
shares (Voskresenskiy A., 2016.). The presence of Saudi capital in the institutional entities of the 
OIC directly points to its leadership in this organization. 
As we all know, in the list of strategic objectives of KSA financial assistance is in 4
th
place, 
while external security, strengthening of unity with the Arab and Muslim world and the ensuring 
of international stability and peace occupying leading positions (Abdisattorov, B., 2018.). All 
above-mentioned tasks are interrelated and are being implemented by the Saudi government in 
the complex and long-term way. Also, one needs to mention that the OIC is not the only 
mechanism for the implementation of Saudi financial aid to Islamic countries, because the 
Kingdom operates unilaterally as well. Back in 1974according to the decree of the King of KSA 
the Saudi Fund for Development was established with the aim of developing international 
cooperation of the Kingdom with other countries. Nowadays, the Fund finances a total number 
of 3,750 projects in 71 countries, of which 41are the African countries, 25 are Asian, and 5 
countries are located in other parts of the world (Saudi fund for Development, 2016.). In modern 
activity of the OIC is often possible to see the traces of Saudi foreign policy, although this effect 
seems to be indirect at first and taking into account the interests of all members of the 

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