The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet session which was held at Al-Yamamah palace in Riyadh today. At the outset of the session, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques briefed the Cabinet on the discussions he held with Indian Defense Minister Arackaparambil Kurien Antony. In a statement to Saudi Press Agency (SPA) following the session, Dr. Abdulaziz bin Mohieddin Khoja, Minister of Culture and Information, said the Cabinet welcomed the visit of Tunisian Prime Minister Hamadi Al-Jebali to the Kingdom, hailing the brotherly feelings he expressed towards the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and its vital role in serving Arab and Islamic issues. Dr. Khoja added that the Cabinet reviewed a number of reports on the latest regional and international developments, lauding the approval of the General Assembly of the United Nations of the draft resolution submitted by the Arab League on Syria. The Cabinet considered this step as a support for the efforts exerted by the Arab League to reach a peaceful solution to the crisis, appealing to the international community to observe the humanitarian situation of the Syrian people due to the serious escalation in Syria. The Cabinet discussed a number of issues on domestic affairs, including the series of development projects implemented by different sectors in various regions in the Kingdom in light of the comprehensive development enjoyed by the Kingdom for the welfare and progress of its people. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques underscored the importance of the implementation of all projects satisfactorily and completely in accordance with the royal orders issued for this purpose and within the accredited budgets aiming to improve the level of services and raise their efficiency for the welfare of the homeland and citizens. Dr. Khoja said the Cabinet then discussed its domestic agenda and issued the following decisionss: Having reviewed the recommendation of the Standing Committee of the Supreme Economic Council, the Cabinet approved the following decisions: 1- Establishment of an industrial city in the Northern Borders Region to be named 'Northern Promise City†for Mining Industries, including the necessary infrastructure for industry and social utilities so that it would be attractive to other transformable industrial investments as well as the appropriation of the necessary funds to establish the city. 2- Allocation of an area of 290 sq.km for the establishment of the city referred to above as well as the allocation of an adjacent land to the city with an area amounting to 150 sq.km to accommodate Maaden Corporate for Phosphate Industries project and its other associated projects in Um Waâ€TMal area. 3- Public Investment Fund and the Saudi Company for Railways will manage to establish a railway linking the Northern Promise City for Mining Industries with the North-South railway, provide the city with the needed cargo and passenger units to transport phosphoric acid, sulfur crude and other products to and from the Northern Promise City for Mining Industries and establish a passenger station in that city. 4- Appropriation of the necessary funds for the Saudi Electricity Company to link the Northern Promise City for Mining Industries with the high-voltage network, including the conversion stations. 5- Saudi Ports Authority will manage to establish three wharfs in Ras Al Khair Industrial Harbor to serve the project. The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Finance or his deputy to sign a draft protocol dissolving the International Customs Tariffs Bureau and to forward the signed final version for further authentication. The Cabinet approved the recommendation of the Board of Directors of the Capital Market appointing Abdullah bin Ateeq Al-Fawaz, Abdulakareem bin Fahd Al-Zekray and Mohammed bin Abdulmohsen Al-Osaimi as reserve members for the representatives, respectively, of the Experts Commission of the Cabinet, Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Ministry of Finance to the Board of Directors of the Capital Market. According to a recommendation of the Minister of Housing, a Saudi woman will have the right to apply for a housing loan from the Real Estate Fund once it was proved that she is the sole sponsor of her family and could meet the rest procedural process. This decision replaces the Cabinet's one No. 32 dated 27/1/1402 H.
