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 King briefed the Cabinet on the results of his meetings and talks with President Rodrigo Duterte of Republic of the Philippines, Member of Parliament from British Conservative Party and Head of Saudi-British Group in British Parliament Charlotte Leslie, and President of Federation Council of Federal Assembly of Russian Federation Valentina Matviyenko. The Cabinet expressed its thanks and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for his patronage of the closing ceremony of King Abdulaziz Festival for Camels in its new version for the year 1438 AH in the presence of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of the Kingdom of Bahrain and representatives of the leaders of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for Arab States, and his inauguration of the Saudi Village for Camels, which is the first specialized village for camels, their heritage, research and trade in the Kingdom, which embodies his interest and care of the original heritage and its value in the formation of Saudi identity and personality, commending the efforts of King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives for organizing the festival The Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Adel bin Zaid Altoraifi said in a statement to Saudi Press Agency that the Cabinet praised the outcomes of the second group of the joint determination conclave between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates within Saudi-Emirati Coordination Council, headed from the Saudi side by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Second Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and President of Council of Economic Affairs and Development, for embodying historical relations between the two countries, intensifying bilateral cooperation through continuing consultation and coordination in various areas and enhancing the role of the common Gulf action system. The Cabinet stressed the strength and firmness of the Saudi economy as the Ministry of Finance has received strong demand from investors for the first international issuance under the sukuk program which confirms the role being played by the Ministry of Finance's Public Debt Management Department in achieving the Kingdom's Vision 2030. Dr. Altoraifi also said that the Cabinet reviewed the efforts exerted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Malaysia to complete necessary arrangements to launch King Salman Center for International Peace in Kuala Lumpur, which was announced by the Kingdom and Malaysia during the visit paid by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to Malaysia recently. The Cabinet congratulated Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Turkish people on the successful referendum of constitutional amendments. The Cabinet also addressed the meeting of foreign ministers of countries agreeing on the situation in Syria which discussed the latest developments on the Syrian arena as well as the Syrian regime's use of internationally prohibited weapons including the attack by chemical weapons on civilians in Khan Sheikhoun. The Minister of Culture and Information also said that the Cabinet expressed the Kingdom's condemnation of the suicide bombing targeted the displaced Syrians from Al-Fawah and Kafriya villages, which resulted in killing and injuring a large number of innocent civilians. The Cabinet described the bombing as a terrible terrorist crime that contradicts all moral and human values and principles, expressing condolences to the families of the innocent victims and wishing the injured a speedy recovery. The Cabinet also expressed the Kingdom's condemnation of the bombings targeted the Somali capital, Mogadishu, which resulted in killing and injuring a number people, reiterating the Kingdom's solidarity with the Republic of Somalia, offering condolences to the families of the victims and Somalia's government and people, and wishing the injured a speedy recovery. On domestic affairs, the Cabinet praises the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for patronizing the 19th competition on King Salman bin Abdulaziz Award for Holy Quran Memorization, Recitation and Interpretation. The Cabinet reviewed a number of cultural, scientific and economic activities and events, including the 7th International Conference on Higher Education; the Japanese Cultural Week in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; the opening of King Abdullah Center for Oncology and Liver Diseases at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh; the launch of the 3rd phase the residential program announced by the Ministry of Housing which consists of 18,799 housing and finance products in the Kingdom's regions; and the Wa'ad Al-Shamal project in the Northern Borders Region. Dr. Altoraifi said that the Cabinet reviewed a number of topics on its agenda, and took the following decisions: First: The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Foreign Affairs - or his deputy - to discuss and sign a draft memorandum of understanding on political consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Mali. Second: The Cabinet approved that the Islamic University shall sign a draft memorandum of understanding for academic cooperation and scientific experience exchange between the Islamic University of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the University of Barcelona of the Kingdom of Spain. Thirdly: The Cabinet approved a memorandum of understanding in the field of labor between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt, which was signed in Cairo on 01/07/1437H. Fourthly: The Cabinet approved a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of integrity protection and anti-corruption between the National Anti-Corruption Commission of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Administrative Control Authority of the Arab Republic of Egypt, which was signed in Cairo on 01/07/1437H. Fifthly: The Cabinet approved that the Minister of Health to be Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Unified Procurement Company for Medical Supplies. Sixthly: The Cabinet approved the amendment of paragraph (c) of Article (2) of the Promotions Regulation. Seventhly: The Cabinet approved the regulation of the General Authority of Zakat and Tax. Eighthly: The Cabinet approved the amendment of a number of articles of the Diplomatic Jobs Regulation. Ninthly: The Cabinet approved that all State-owned real estate shall be registered under the name of State Real Estate in accordance with a number of arrangements. Tenth: The Cabinet approved the formation of the Board of Directors of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology as follows: 1- Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources; Chairman. 2- President of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology; Member and Deputy Chairman. 3- Representatives of no less than five government authorities; Members. 4- Three specialists of the private sector; Members. Eleventh: The Cabinet approved the amendment of Paragraph (1) of Article (4) of the Regulation of the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, re-forming the Board of Directors of the Corporation as follows: 1- Minister of Education; Chairman. 2- Governor of the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation; Deputy Chairman. 3- Representatives of the Ministries of Education, Finance, Labor and Social Development, and Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources; Members. 4- Representative of Education Evaluation Commission; Member. 5- Five specialists of the private sector; Members.
