RIYADH — The Council of Ministers reiterated Saudi Arabia's welcoming of the talks between Russia and the United States in Riyadh, saying that this reemphasizes the Kingdom's commitment to global peace and security. Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman chaired the Cabinet session in Riyadh on Tuesday. At the outset of the session, the Crown Prince briefed the Cabinet on his recent phone talks with French President Emmanuel Macron and meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. During these talks, the Crown discussed relations with both countries, as well as ways to boost ties in various sectors, in addition to regional and international developments. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary said that the Cabinet reviewed the government's recent activities, particularly those focused on strengthening bilateral relations with friendly nations. It also discussed the outcomes of the Kingdom's participation in regional and international meetings, reflecting the country's interest in collective efforts and expanding scope for cooperation to achieve the desired aspirations and objectives. The Cabinet reiterated the Kingdom's emphasis, as expressed during the 42nd session of the Arab Interior Ministers Council, on the need to strengthen security cooperation, integrate and coordinate efforts to combat crime in all its forms, monitor its evolution, and develop a comprehensive security strategy to address shared threats and challenges. The Cabinet emphasized that Saudi Arabia's presidency of the GlobE Network reflects the international community's confidence in its ability to drive a major shift in consolidating cooperation among member states, enhance policies, and develop the necessary tools to effectively combat corruption crimes. The Council welcomed the Jeddah Declaration issued by the 13th Conference of Ministers of Culture in the Islamic World. The declaration outlines a shared vision for leveraging culture to drive social and economic progress, safeguard Islamic heritage, and foster collaborative efforts to address global challenges. On the occasion of the Saudi Founding Day, which falls on February 22, the Cabinet expressed its pride in the history of the Saudi State, its deep-rooted heritage, and its three-century-long civilization and commended the nation's achievements in fostering unity, justice, and continuous progress and development. Al-Dossary stated that the Cabinet deemed the Kingdom's prominent position among the top ten global markets for battery energy storage, coinciding with the start of operations at the 2000-megawatt-hour-capacity Bisha project, as a testament to the transformation underway within the energy sector, further solidifying the Kingdom's leadership in energy production and export. The Cabinet acknowledged the success of the fourth LEAP25 conference, which was held in Riyadh under the theme "Into New Worlds" and featured the announcement of over $14.9 billion in investments and launches. The conference aimed at fostering innovation in digital and technological infrastructure, supporting research and development, advancing artificial intelligence, and promoting cloud computing. The Cabinet commended the opening of regional headquarters for 600 international companies within the Kingdom, underscoring the global recognition of Saudi Arabia's economic stability, promising growth trajectory, and strategic geographic location, further bolstered by the presence of exceptional talent and expertise. The Cabinet approved a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the field of energy between the Saudi Ministry of Energy and the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, and another MoU for cooperation in the field of sports between the Saudi Ministry of Sport and the Maldivian Ministry of Sports, Fitness and Recreation. The Council approved a security cooperation agreement between the governments of Saudi Arabia and Guinea; a general cooperation agreement between the governments of Saudi Arabia and Moldova, and a MoU on political consultations between the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Rwandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development or his deputy to discuss and sign with the Moroccan side a draft MoU between the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and the Moroccan Ministry of Solidarity, Social Integration and Family for cooperation in the field of social development. The Council approved a MoU for cooperation in the field of tourism between the Saudi Ministry of Tourism and the Georgian Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development and another agreement between the governments of Saudi Arabia and Belarus in the field of air transport services. The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture and chairman of the board of directors of the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) or his deputy to discuss and sign with the Moroccan side a draft MoU between the NCVC in Saudi Arabia and the National Agency for Water and Forests in Morocco in the field of natural vegetation cover development and combating desertification.
