The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet's session at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh on Monday afternoon. At the outset of the session, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques briefed the Cabinet on the outcomes of his meetings with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter, and the Secretary General of International Telecommunication Union Houlin Zhao, who delivered to the King the Award of Information Technology and Communication in Sustainable Development marking the 150th anniversary of founding of the Union. The Cabinet stressed that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques' receiving of this award embodies the extent of the international appreciation to the King, the Kingdom's leading role in the International Telecommunication Union, and its efforts in the field of technology and communications. The Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Adel bin Zaid Altoraifi said in a statement to Saudi Press Agency following the session that the Cabinet reviewed a number of reports on the latest developments at regional and international arenas, particularly the situation in Syria and international efforts to fight ISIS terrorist organization. The Cabinet welcomed in this context the joint statement issued by the meeting of the international coalition countries on cooperation to fight ISIS terrorist organization held at the headquarters of NATO alliance in Brussels, in which the Kingdom's delegation was headed by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense. The Cabinet expressed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's appreciation to what has been expressed by NATO's Defense Ministers of commending the leading steps taken by the Kingdom to form an Islamic military alliance to counter terrorism that will be supportive for international efforts to fight terrorist groups, topped by ISIS terrorist organization. The Cabinet praised the meetings of the International Support Group for Syria, which were held in Munich, Germany, with the participation of 17 countries, the United Nations, the European Union, the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and their outputs of deliberations about tackling the crisis in Syria. Dr. Adel bin Zaid Altoraifi said that the Council of Ministers was briefed on the issues on its agenda, including subjects it co-shared in their study with Shura Council and it decided the following: First: The cabinet approved the addition of the Ministry of Education to the membership of the Supreme Committee formed under item (Second) of the Cabinet's resolution No. (350) dated 03/11/1434 H to oversee the implementation of the National Strategic Plan for Traffic Safety. Second: The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Defense - or his deputy - to discuss with the Korean side a draft agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Republic of Korea on the protection of classified military information, sign it and submit the final version for completion of legal procedures. Third: After review of what has been submitted of report by the President of Saudi Wildlife Authority, the Cabinet deleted paragraph (10) of item (First) of its resolution No. (77) dated 02/06/1417 AH, on making the nature reserve (Al-Jandaliyah) within the protected areas and delivering it to the Ministry of Agriculture to be a grazing area upon which the regulation of grassland and forests shall be applied. Fourth: The Cabinet authorized the President of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology - or his deputy - to discuss with the Danish side a draft memorandum of understanding for scientific and technical cooperation between King Abdulaziz City for Science and technology of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Ministry of Higher Education and Science of the Kingdom of Denmark, sign it and submit the final version to complete the legal procedures. Fifth: The Cabinet approved the Customs Cooperation Agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt signed in Cairo on 28/05/1436 AH. A royal decree has been prepared in this regard. Sixth: The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Foreign Affairs - or his deputy - to discuss with the Nicaraguan side a draft general agreement for cooperation between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Republic of Nicaragua, sign it and submit the final version to complete the legal procedures. Seventh: The Cabinet approved the self-employment program of Saudi Food and Drug Authority. Eighth: The Cabinet authorized the President of Human Rights Commission - or his deputy - to discuss with the International Organization for Migration a draft memorandum of understanding for technical cooperation between the Human Rights Commission of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the International Organization for Migration, sign it and submit the final version to complete the legal procedures. Ninth: The Cabinet approved the appointment of the following to the post of (Ambassador): 1 - Abdulkareem bin Saeed bin Abdullah Al-Juhani. 2 - Saud bin Saad bin Khalf Al-Thubiti. 3 - Shadeed bin Hamed bin Shadeed Al-Sahli. 4 - Khalid bin Musaed bin Mishari Al-Angari. 5 - Gharm bin Saeed bin Gharm Al Milhan . 6 - Abdullah bin Ahmed bin Rafdan Al Abadan. 7 - Mustafa bin Ibrahim bin Ali Al Sheikh Mubarak. 8 - Suleiman bin Saleh bin Ali Al-Freijh. 9 - Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Bahlal. The Cabinet also approved a number of appointments as follows: 1 - Naif bin Manahi bin Jerrman bin Saeedan as (Mayor of Hafr Al-Batin Governorate's Municipality) at the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs (at 14th rank). 2 - Abdulrahman bin Ali bin Mater Al-Nefaei as (Ministry's Assistant Undersecretary for Planning and Development) at the Ministry of Hajj (14th rank). The Cabinet was briefed on the annual reports of the General Presidency for Youth Welfare; Ministry of Social Affairs and Institute of Public Administration for a previous fiscal year. The Cabinet was briefed on their contents and issued its directives in this regard.
