JEDDAH (Khalij Times) — Saudi Arabia is to issue new riyal notes with the latest security features, which will increase confidence in the currency. The Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) will soon receive the first consignment of the new notes, the fifth issue of the Saudi currency.

Meetings are currently being held at SAMA in order to make necessary arrangements for the introduction of the new currency. There is a plan to hold an awareness campaign to educate the public on the security features of the notes. The new notes, with a portrait of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, will be put into circulation by the middle of next month, according to Finance Minister Ibrahim Al Assaf.

"The introduction of the new currency will be carried out in a gradual manner," he added. The notes will be available in six denominations — SR1, SR5, SR10, SR50 and SR100 notes all carrying a portrait of King Abdullah while the SR500 note will continue to have the portrait of King Abdul Aziz, the Kingdom's founder. No new notes will be issued in the denominations of SR20 and SR200 as the existing notes were issued about nine years ago when the Kingdom marked its centenary. The two notes carry a logo of the centenary as well as Islamic and historic monuments.