The Cabinet, chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman on Tuesday afternoon at Al-Salam Palace here, applauded the great leaps Saudi Arabia has achieved in the tourism sector, as the Kingdom moved up 10 places to 33rd in the world, compared to 2019, in the 2021 World Economic Forum (WEF) Travel and Tourism Development Index. The Cabinet within the same context touched upon the Kingdom's participation in the World Economic Forum (WEF), the meetings of the World Health Assembly, the annual meeting of the Dragon Group, and in Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, where Saudi Arabia highlighted its contributions and efforts at the local and global levels, for climate and environment, creating fairer economies, improving the business environment, technology and innovation, jobs and skills, society and justice, promoting global public health, and addressing security challenges. At the outset of the session, the Cabinet was briefed on the content of the phone call the Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister received from the Greek Prime Minister, during which they reviewed bilateral relations as well as opportunities for joint cooperation in a number of areas. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Minister of State, Cabinet's Member and Acting Minister of Media Dr. Essam Bin Saad Bin Saeed said that the Cabinet addressed the recent efforts of Saudi Arabia's foreign policy, aiming at strengthening cooperation with different countries and organizations of the world, to take it to new heights, in a way that contributes to strengthening Saudi Arabia's leading role regionally and internationally. The Cabinet commended the commencement of the construction work of the Royal Arts Complex at King Salman Park, which will be a major beacon of culture and arts in Riyadh, and a contributor to achieving one of the goals of the Saudi Vision 2030. The Cabinet also authorized the minister of interior to hold talks with the Algerian side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the Civil Defense and civil protection between the governments of Saudi Arabia and Algeria. It authorized the minister of culture to hold talks with the Bahraini side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the cultural field between the Ministry of Culture in Saudi Arabia and the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities. The Cabinet also authorized the minister of tourism to hold talks with the Costa Rican side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the tourism field between the Ministry of Tourism in Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Tourism in Costa Rica. It approved a memorandum of understanding between the governments of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in the environment field. The Cabinet authorized the minister of environment, water and agriculture to hold talks with the Uzbek side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the agricultural field between the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Agriculture in Uzbekistan. It also approved Saudi Arabia's accession to the Agreement on the Network of Aquaculture Centers in Asia-Pacific, Bangkok Jan. 8, 1988, and basic texts of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), and authorized the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture to complete necessary requirements to inform the Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization with accepting Saudi Arabia as member of the aforementioned agreements. The Cabinet authorized the minister of environment, water and agriculture and chairman of the board of directors of the National Center for Meteorology to hold talks with World Meteorological Organization regarding a draft memorandum of understanding between the National Center for Meteorology in Saudi Arabia and World Meteorological Organization. The Cabinet approved a guidance model for a memorandum of understanding between the Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence (SDAIA) and counterparts in other countries regarding the activation of e-connection to verify that Saudi passengers and citizens and residents of any of those countries meet the health requirements pertaining to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and authorized chairman of the board of directors of SDAIA to hold talks with counterparts in other countries regarding a draft memorandum of understanding, sign it and refer the final signed copy to proceed with formal procedures. — SPA
