The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet's session 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 outcomes of talks held with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi of the Arab Republic of Egypt, as they reviewed the deep-rooted historical relations and ways to develop them in all fields to realize the interests of the two countries and peoples, reiterating their united position towards regional and international issues and developments. The Cabinet then addressed the recent talks that took place between officials in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and their counterparts in a number of countries with the aim of strengthening cooperation and joint action at different levels. This includes the outcomes of the meetings of the Saudi-Kenyan Joint Committee, the signed memorandum of understanding on political consultations, and the Saudi-Greek Investment Forum that highlighted the investment potential and available opportunities in the two countries. 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 reviewed a number of reports on the latest developments, expressing appreciation for countries, regional and international organizations and bodies' condemnation of the cowardly attack that targeted an oil refinery in Riyadh, and their support of the measures taken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to protect its national capabilities and gains in a way that preserves the security of global energy. The Cabinet in this regard reiterated that these terrorist and sabotage acts, repeatedly committed against vital installations and civilian objects, do not target Saudi Arabia alone, but more broadly the security and stability of energy supply, and thus negatively affecting the global economy. The Cabinet called on all nations and organizations of the world to stand together against such acts of sabotage and terrorism, and to stop all groups carrying out or supporting these attacks. The Cabinet expressed Saudi Arabia's condemnation of the missile attack that targeted the city of Erbil in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, affirming Saudi Arabia's stand by the Republic of Iraq in its measures to protect its security and stability and rejecting all forms of violence, extremism and terrorism. The Cabinet reviewed the outcomes of the meetings of the Strategic Partnership Working Group between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for Arab States and the United States of America, during which they announced developing a common defense vision in the region to deter air, missile and naval threats, and condemned Iran's subversive behavior and its support for terrorist organizations and groups with ballistic missiles and drones. At local level, the Cabinet applauded HRH the Crown Prince's launch of National Development Fund (NDF) Strategy, which aims at supporting the sustainable development of the economic sectors in Saudi Arabia in realization of objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, as it will work on stimulating a threefold increase in the private sector's development impact and contributing to Saudi Arabia's real GDP growth by injecting more than SAR 570 billion by 2030. Additionally, NDF targets to achieve more than a threefold increase of non-oil GDP to reach SAR 605 billion, in addition to generating many job opportunities in the Kingdom by 2030. The Cabinet commended the outcomes of the World Defense Show 2022, held in Riyadh, including the local and international agreements to support cooperation and innovation, build qualitative partnerships in the defense and security industries, and contribute to achieving one of the goals of the Saudi Vision 2030 aiming to localize more than 50% of government spending on military equipment and services by 2030. The Cabinet, when reviewing the recommendations of 21st Scientific Forum for Hajj, Umrah and Visit Research, stressed Saudi Arabia's pride in serving the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors, and its efforts in harnessing all possibilities to serve visitors, as this includes issues related to digital transformation for the services provided to the Two Holy Mosques' visitors. The Cabinet considered Saudi Arabia's election as President of the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons as a part of the continuous achievements it has achieved in the field of work in international organizations, and also a reflection of its pivotal role and efforts in dealing with the data of international events in this field. The Cabinet was briefed on a number of issues on its agenda and issued the following decisions: First: Approving a memorandum of understanding for technical cooperation between the Ministry of Interior in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Nations. Second: Authorizing the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance – or a deputy – to hold talks with the Uzbekistani side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Committee of Islamic Affairs affiliated with the Cabinet of Uzbekistan in the field of Islamic Affair, sign it and refer the final signed copy to proceed with formal procedures. Third: Authorizing the Minister of Tourism – or a deputy – to hold talks with the Barbadian side to hold talks on a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the tourist field between the Ministry of Tourism in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Tourism and International Transport in Barbados, sign it, and refer the final signed copy to proceed with formal procedures. Fourth: Authorizing the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Chairman of the Saline Water Conversion Corporation – or a deputy – to hold talks with the Indian side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding between the Saline Water Conversion Corporation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the National Institute of Ocean Technology in the Republic of India on water desalination, sign it, and refer the final signed copy to proceed with formal procedures. Fifth: Authorizing the Minister of Health – or a deputy – to hold talks with the Bahraini side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Health in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Health in the Kingdom of Bahrain on cooperation in health fields, sign it, and refer the final signed copy to proceed with formal procedures. Sixth: Approving a resolution by the Arab League, amending Paragraph (1) of Item (45) of the Arab Charter on Human Rights related to establishing a committee named the Committee of the Arab Charter on Human Rights. Seventh: Approving amendments to the bylaw of the family Affairs Council, issued under a Cabinet Decision No. (443) on 20/4/1437 Hijri, including the organizational connection of the council with the Council of Economic and Development Affairs with enjoying financial and administrative independence. Eighth: Approving the final accounts of the Saudi Accreditation Center, Saudi Grains Organization, National Technology Development Program, General Authority for Statistics, and Saudi Human Resources Development Fund, for two previous fiscal years. Ninth: Approving promotions to the 15th and 14th ranks and an appointment at the rank of Ambassador. The Cabinet also reviewed several issues on its agenda and took necessary procedures regarding them.
