The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, at the outset of the Council of Ministers meeting, was assured that the preparations of arrangements of the agencies concerned with serving pilgrims was complete and they will provide the highest level of care during the Hajj season this year to ensure the pilgrims perform the rituals in a safe and healthy environment. Chairing the Cabinet's virtual session on Tuesday, King Salman was told that the agencies would provide pilgrims with all means of comfort and also ensure their security and safety from the coronavirus pandemic. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques briefed the Cabinet on the content of his official talks with Oman Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik during his official visit to Saudi Arabia. The talks included aspects of joint cooperation and ways to enhance and develop them, praising the cooperation and coordination achieved contributing to strengthening security and stability for the two countries, including the signing of a memorandum to establish the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council. The King reiterated that a number of agreements and memoranda of understanding in various fields were concluded, raising the economic cooperation by stimulating public and private sectors to reach qualitative trade and investment exchanges that contribute to achieving the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 and Oman Vision 2040. The discussions emphasized the strengthening of cooperation in the areas of environment, food security and the Green Middle East Initiative due to its benefit at local, regional and global levels. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on behalf of the Acting Minister of Media, the Minister of State and Member of the Cabinet Dr. Issam Bin Saad Bin Saeed said that the Cabinet addressed the statement of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) at the conclusion of the Article 4 consultations, emphasizing the continued recovery of the Saudi economy and praising its outstanding success in several aspects, during the most difficult year. The repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, fluctuations in oil prices, a decline of its global demand and a slowdown in growth were the challenges during the year, but the IMF stressed the prominent role of the economic and structural reforms carried out within the framework of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 and its contribution to achieving sustainable and comprehensive economic growth. The Cabinet considered Saudi Arabia winning the chairmanship of the Executive Council of the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), as a continuation of its pivotal role, and its keenness to achieve the goals of the organization. The Cabinet reviewed the latest developments regionally and globally, reiterating the Kingdom's support to Egypt and Sudan to preserve their legitimate rights, and calling on the international community to find a clear mechanism to start negotiations between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia to find a solution for this crisis in order to achieve the interests of the Nile River basin countries, under international auspices and in agreement with the African Union and the Arab League. The Cabinet was briefed on issues on its agenda, some of which were co-studied by the Shoura Council, including outcomes reached by each of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, the Council of Political and Security Affairs, the Cabinet's General Committee and the Cabinet's Bureau of Experts. The Cabinet, among other decisions, issued the following rulings: • The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Interior, or his deputy, to discuss and sign a draft memorandum of understanding in the field of civil protection and Civil Defense between the government of Saudi Arabia and the government of Italy. • The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Foreign Affairs, or his deputy, to discuss and sign a draft memorandum of understanding regarding political consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kenya. • The Cabinet the Minister of Culture, or his deputy, to discuss and sign a draft memorandum of understanding in the field of culture between the government of Saudi Arabia and the government of Italy. • The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, or his deputy, to discuss and sign a draft memorandum of understanding in the field of plant quarantine and plant protection between the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture of Saudi Arabia and the Food Safety Agency of Azerbaijan. • The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Investment, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Special Economic Cities and Zones Authority, or his deputy, to discuss and sign a draft memorandum of understanding between the Special Economic Cities and Zones Authority of Saudi Arabia and its counterpart in other countries. — SPA
