Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Prime Minister, chaired today the Cabinet's virtual session. At the outset of the session, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques briefed the Cabinet on the message he received from Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The Cabinet praised the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques' speech at the Think 20 (T20) Engagement Group in which he stressed that saving lives and finding a vaccine for the Coronavirus are the most important priorities currently. The speech stressed the need to keep pace with the change in the nature of education and work, help the society to acquire new skills in line with the trends of labor market, provide opportunities for building a promising economic future and strengthen social protection systems. In his speech, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques said that he is looking forward to see Riyadh G20 Summit contributing to reaching agreement on solutions and initiatives that promote the G20 role in a unified international response to tackle the economic, social, and health impacts of COVID-19. The Cabinet highlighted the Business 20 (B20) Summit's recommendations that dealt with ways to revive the global economy and lay the foundations for more robust economies in facing future challenges. The Cabinet also highlighted the Summit's proposals for G20 leaders in the fields of trade, finance, digitization, labor and climate change in order to develop inclusive and sustainable agenda that represent a legacy for the exceptional year 2020 and beyond. In a statement to Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Acting Minister of Media Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi said that the Cabinet reviewed the efforts exerted by the authorities concerned as regards preparing and implementing plans for the gradual return to performing Umrah in accordance with health procedures and protocols, welcoming Umrah performers coming from abroad and stressing the permanent keenness to harness all capabilities to enable them perform Umrah ritual in a spiritual atmosphere and precautionary environment. The Cabinet followed-up the latest developments of Coronavirus pandemic at local and international levels, and was briefed on Coronavirus cases reported in the Kingdom, in light of the continuing slowdown in the curve of the number of infections, the continued decline in the rate of critical cases, and the tireless efforts to deal with this pandemic at all levels, praised by the World Health Organization and other relevant international organizations. --More 00:21 LOCAL TIME 21:21 GMT 0026
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Chairs Cabinet's Virtual Session 2 NEOM The Cabinet addressed the significance of obliteration of corruption in all forms and manifestations, in order to maintain the public finance and protect the national gaining to back up and consolidate the comprehensive development process, witnessed in all domains across the Kingdom. In this regard, the Cabinet appreciated the efforts being exerted to arrest anyone who may dare to seize the public finance, exploit his office to realize personal interests or harm the public interest, calling for subjecting him to applicable laws and holding accountable any official, regardless of his position on committing any traverse or practices implicating fiscal or administrative corruption without complacency. Al-Qassabi pointed out that the Cabinet reviewed a number of issues and latest events and their developments on the regional as well as the international levels, reiterating the Kingdom's strong denunciation and disapproval of terrorist acts that took place, at the University of Kabul, capital of Afghanistan; in the vicinity of Notre Dame, in Niece, France; and in the downtown of Vienna, capital of Austria, citing the Kingdom's strong rejection of such acts, targeting the lives of the innocents, destabilizing security and contravene all faith, beliefs and sound human common sense, in addition to reasserting the significance of rejecting practices that would create hatred, violence and extremism in its all forms. The Cabinet condemned and lambasted anew the insistence of the terrorist Houthi militia and those behind it, to continue launching bomb-laden drones towards the Kingdom, which the Coalition Joint Forces have managed to intercept and destroy, reaffirming that such terrorist attempts violate the International Humanitarian Law and its customary rules as well as humane values by targeting civilians and civilian objects. The Cabinet reviewed topics on its agenda, including some being co-studied by the Shura Council. The Cabinet was also briefed on the outcomes reached by the Economic and Development Affairs Council, the Political and Security Affairs Council, the General Committee of the Council of Ministers, and the Cabinet's Experts Commission with regard to the agenda. --More 00:21 LOCAL TIME 21:21 GMT 0027
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Chairs Cabinet's Virtual Session 3 NEOM The Cabinet issued the following decisions: First: The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Interior - or his deputy - to discuss and sign with the British side a draft memorandum of understanding for extradition between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Second: The Cabinet approved a memorandum for technical cooperation in the field of food trade between the Saudi Food and Drug Authority and the Ministry for Primary Industries of New Zealand. Third: The Cabinet approved amendment of the contracting rules and employment contract form of distinctive competencies program issued by Cabinet Resolution No. (119) dated 2/21/1440 H. Fourth: The Cabinet approved the renewal of a number of memberships and appointing new members in the Board of Directors of the General Authority for Awqaf. Fifth: The Cabinet approved a number of promotions at the 14th and 15th ranks. The Cabinet was briefed on a number of issues on its agenda and took relevant recommendations.
