The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet's session held on Tuesday afternoon at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah. At the outset of the session, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques briefed the Cabinet on the content of the letter he received from the President of the People's Republic of China, regarding the bilateral relations that connect the two countries and peoples and means to develop them in various fields. The Cabinet then reviewed the recent talks and meetings that took place between officials in Saudi Arabia and their counterparts in a number of countries, with the aim of advancing relations to broader horizons in order to serve common aspirations and increase the effectiveness of collective action through regional and international organizations and groups. The Cabinet in this regard addressed the contents of Saudi Arabia's participation in the ministerial meetings of the G20, held in Bali, Indonesia, as Saudi Arabia highlighted its efforts in accelerating the growth of the digital economy, technology and innovation, and bridging the digital divide through strategic initiatives and projects to connect the world. This is in addition to the great interest it attaches to education locally and internationally since education is a major driver of development and a basic right for all. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Minister of State, Cabinet's Member for Shura Council Affairs and Acting Minister of Media Dr. Essam bin Saad bin Saeed said that the Cabinet followed the development of events at the regional and international levels, reiterating Saudi Arabia's supports for everything that guarantees security and stability in Iraq and preserves its capabilities, gains and people. The Cabinet touched on Saudi Arabia's participation in the Arria meeting held at the headquarters of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), as it affirmed that development of cross-border terrorist threats require a rapid and comprehensive response from the international community, as they target civilians, vital and civilian facilities, energy supplies and the stability of the global economy. The Cabinet considered the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's support for the two initiatives of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to modernize the Seibersdorf laboratories (ReNuAL2) and for Zoonotic Diseases Integrated Action (ZODIAC) as an extension of its continuous contributions to the efforts of IAEA and its initiatives aimed at developing its capabilities in a way that enhances its vital role in harnessing the atom for peace and confirms the Kingdom's positive stance towards matters related to using nuclear energy and technology and their peaceful and safe development. The Cabinet appreciated the follow-up on drug smuggling and promotion networks, and the contribution of the General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC), in coordination with the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, to thwarting the smuggling of about 47 million amphetamine pills. The Cabinet was briefed on a number of issues on its agenda and issued the following decisions: First: Authorizing the Minister of Culture – or a deputy – to hold talks with the Indonesian side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the cultural field between the Ministry of Culture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Indonesia's Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, sign it and refer the final signed copy to proceed with formal procedures. Second: Authorizing president of the Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University – or a deputy – to hold talks with the Bahraini side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding in the field of academic, medical, training and research services between the Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the General Command of the Bahrain Defense Force, sign it and refer the final signed copy to proceed with formal procedures. Third: Authorizing the president of the University of Jeddah – or a deputy – to hold talks with the Stephen Still Institute for Sustainable Transportation and Logistics at the University of Buffalo in the USA regarding a memorandum of understanding on academic cooperation between the University of Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the institute, sign it, and refer the final signed copy to proceed with formal procedures. Fourth: Approving an agreement between the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the government of Ghana in the field of air transport services. Fifth: Approving a memorandum of understanding for technical cooperation between the Human Rights Commission in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Sixth: Authorizing president of the General Court of Audit – or a deputy – to hold talks with the Tajik side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding between the General Court of Audit in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Accounts Chamber in Tajikistan for cooperation in the accounting, oversight and vocational work, sign it and refer the final signed copy to proceed with formal procedures. Seventh: Approving the regulations of reconciliation committees at regions. Eighth: Approving the minutes of an agreement to establish the Saudi-Thai Coordination Council and authorizing the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who heads the Saudi side, to sign it. Ninth: Approving the establishment of duty free zones – according to needs – at air, marine and land border crossings, and allowing selling for arriving and departing passengers at and from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Tenth: Accrediting final accounts of the Electricity and Co-Generation Regulatory Authority (previously), National Competitiveness Center, and Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University for previous fiscal years. Eleventh: Approving the appointment of Fahd bin Abdulrahman bin Hathlol Al-Dousari as a (Minister Plenipotentiary) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Cabinet also reviewed several issues on its agenda and took necessary procedures regarding them.
