Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the meeting held by the Council of Ministers, on Monday evening at Safa Palace in Makkah. At the outset of the session, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques thanked Almighty Allah for Muslims' enjoyment of these ten blessed nights of the holy month of Ramadan and for the facilities enjoyed by all Muslims who have visited the two Holy Mosques from around the world to perform Umrah and visit in a peaceful atmosphere. The king said that the kingdom's efforts to serve the two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah are an honor and a source of pride for its people. He added that it always seeks to enhance services provided to pilgrims and visitors, asking Almighty Allah to accept work of all and to perpetuate the kingdom's security and stability, and to reward all those who serve worshippers. The king briefed the council on the results of his meeting with President Mamnoon Hussain, the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, President Abdurbo Mansour Hadi, the President of the Republic of Yemen, his talks with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq Dr. Haider Al-Abbadi and the two phone calls received from President Vladimir Putin President of the Russian Federation, and the Prime Minister of Britain, Teresa May and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Morocco, Nasser Bourita. Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Awad bin Saleh Al-Awad said in a statement to Saudi Press Agency that the cabinet stressed that the king's order to pay the sum of one billion and six hundred and sixty million riyals to beneficiaries of Social Insurance to provide their needs for the month of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr reflects his keenness to provide everything that would provide a decent life for this precious category of citizens of the kingdom. The cabinet appreciated the continuation of security measures to maintain order, deter criminals, expose those behind them and bring them to justice, pointing out in this regard to the results of investigations of the previously reported car that caught fire and exploded in Qatif, and the included results of the investigation details of the terrorist and criminal crimes committed by the two wanted people who died in the car. The council also noted the efforts of the naval forces in confronting three boats as they entered the kingdom's territorial waters, and the arrest of one of them. Investigations revealed that they had subversive targets. The cabinet reiterated the kingdom's keenness on fighting terrorism and acts of sabotage and its permanent quest to protect the homeland's security from any attack. The cabinet considered the bombing of the three trucks belonging to King Salman Relief and Humanitarian Action Center while preparing for distribution of food aid in the city of Marib as a threat to humanitarian work as part of the siege imposed by the Houthi militia, causing many famines and disruption of medical and food assistance, stressing that such acts will not affect humanitarian and food aid provided by the center to the benefit of the Yemeni people as part of Operation Restore Hope. The Council of Ministers renewed the kingdom's condemnation of the two explosions that took place in the capital of the Arab Republic of Egypt and in the village of Al-Diraaz, and the terrorist attack on a restaurant in the Somali capital Mogadishu. The cabinet affirmed the kingdom's solidarity with the brotherly countries, expressing condolences to the families of the victims and to the governments and peoples of Egypt, Bahrain and Somalia and wishes of recovery for the injured. The council expressed the kingdom's condemnation of the terrorist attack on worshipers, which took place yesterday near the Finsbury Park Mosque north of London, UK, expressing condolences to the families of the victims and to the United Kingdom's Government and people. The council also condemned the attempt to attack security forces today on Champs-Elysées in Paris, expressing the kingdom's firm rejection of all forms of terrorism and extremism. Dr. Awad bin Saleh Al-Awad said that the council reviewed the topics on its agenda and decided the following: First: The cabinet decided to approve a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of trade and industry between the Ministry of Commerce and Investment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Ministry of Trade and Industry in the Arab Republic of Egypt, signed in Cairo on 1/7/1437 AH. Second: The cabinet decided to approve a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan for cooperation in the field of agriculture, signed in the city of Riyadh on 24/1/1438 H. Third: The cabinet decided to approve a Memorandum of Scientific and Educational Cooperation between the Ministry of Education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Turkmenistan, signed in the city of Riyadh on 24/7/1437 H. Fourthly : The Council of Ministers decided to approve a memorandum of understanding in the field of labor cooperation between the Ministry of Labor and Social Development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Work and Social Welfare in the United Mexican States, signed on 7/10/1437 AH. Fifth: The Council of Ministers decided to approve an agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of New Zealand in the field of air transport services signed in Riyadh on 25/4/1437 H. Sixth: The Council of Ministers approved the authorization of the Minister of Finance - or his deputy - to discuss with the UAE side a draft memorandum of understanding between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the United Arab Emirates in the field of customs cooperation and common market. Seventh: The Council of Ministers decided to approve an agreement for cooperation in the field of peaceful uses of nuclear energy between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt, signed in Cairo on 1/7/1437 AH. Eighth: After considering the recommendation prepared by the Council for Economic Affairs and Development, the Council of Ministers has decided the following: 1. Establishing a national program under the name National Program to Support Hobbies and Activities (Da'aim), under the supervision of a body designated by the Prime Minister. The program aims to support and develop the hobbies sector and related activities and events. 2. Establishing a fund under the name Hobbies and Activities Support Fund, under the supervision of the program supervisor, to support the activities of amateur clubs and the rehabilitation of relevant government facilities. 3. The Program and Fund shall have a Board of Directors composed of a Chairman and (five) members representing government bodies related to the Program's activity and (two members) from the private sector. 4. The program's duration shall be six years and shall be subjected to the evaluation of the Council for Economic Affairs and Development at least one year prior to the end of its term. The evaluation shall be submitted to the Council of Ministers to consider renewing the program or converting it to an independent public body or any other organizational pattern. 2 - When a land is bought in an approved scheme the following actions will be taken: - Lands allocated to educational facilities in approved schemes that have not been disposed of shall be considered and purchased without the approval of the neighbors. - Lands on the commercial streets in approved schemes shall be considered and purchased without taking the approval of the neighbors. - Approval of the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs shall be obtained for the lands to be purchased for conversion to an educational facility. Twelve : The Council of Ministers approved the promotions to fifteenth and fourteenth ranks and the post of Ambassador, as follows: 1- The following candidates were promoted to the position of Ambassador at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: - Hisham Ben Mashaal Ben Swailm Al - Suwailem. - Abdullah bin Saud bin Rahil Al - Enezi. - Abdul - eIlah bin Hassan bin Omar Al - Sheikh. 2- Dr. Abdulrahman bin Ibrahim bin Abdul Aziz, AL- Mdaires was promoted to the position of (undersecretary of the ministry for education) at the fifteenth rank at the Ministry of Education. 3- Ahmed bin Ali bin Abdul Aziz Al Matroudi was promoted to the position of (Director General of the General Administration of Counselors) at the fifteenth rank at the Control and Investigation Board. 4- Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman bin Mohammed Alayish was promoted to the position of Assistant Undersecretary at the 14th rank at the Ministry of Interior. 5- Abdul Aziz bin Musfar bin Saqr Al-Quaib was promoted to the position of (Administrative Adviser) at the 14th rank at the Control and Investigation Board. The Council of Ministers was briefed on a number of general issues on its agenda. The council took note of them and issued appropriate directives on them.
