The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet's session held on Tuesday afternoon at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh. At the outset the session, the Cabinet was briefed on the meetings and talks that took place between the Kingdom and a number of countries in the past days, including the phone call received by HRH Crown Prince from the President of the French Republic. The Cabinet reviewed a number of reports on the Kingdom's participation in a number of regional and international meetings, highlighting its keenness to enhance cooperation and coordination within the framework of the Gulf Cooperation Council for the Arab States and the Group of Twenty, as well as its pivotal role in the global economy to ensure the stability and balance of energy markets and care for humanitarian and relief works. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency after the session, 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 commended the Kingdom's interest in consolidating its leadership in the field of climate action. And this is reflected in qualitative projects and initiatives announced in the second edition of the Saudi Green Initiative Forum aiming to reduce emissions by 278 million tons annually, plant more than 600 million trees, and convert 30% of land and marine areas into natural reserves by 2030, in addition to launching a center for the carbon economy, establishing a regional center to accelerate the pace of emissions reduction, and hosting Climate Week in the Middle East and North Africa in 2023. The Cabinet considered the convening of the Global Cybersecurity Forum in its second edition held in Riyadh, and its fruitful discussions and signing of MoUs that took place in its work, as an affirmation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's global role in supporting international efforts, unifying joint endeavors, and opening broad horizons for knowledge transfer, exchange of experiences, and exploration of cooperation opportunities in the relevant areas. The Cabinet was briefed on the topics on its agenda, including topics that the Shura Council participated in its study. It was also briefed on the conclusions reached by the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, the Council for Political and Security Affairs, the General Committee of Council of Ministers, and Bureau of Experts at Council of Ministers in this regard. The Cabinet issued the following decisions: First: Authorizing the Minister for Foreign Affairs – or a deputy – to hold talks with the Irish side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding on political consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ireland, sign it, and refer the final signed copy to proceed with formal procedures. Second: Approving a memorandum of understanding for the establishment of the Saudi-Thai Coordination Council and authorizing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, head of the Saudi side of the council, to sign it. Third: Authorizing the Minister of Culture – or a deputy – to hold talks with the Moroccan 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 the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication in Morocco, sign it and refer the final signed copy to proceed with formal procedures. Fourth: Authorizing the Minister of Justice – or a deputy – to hold talks with the Korean side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation between the Ministry of Justice in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Justice in Korea, sign it and refer the final signed copy to proceed with formal procedures. Fifth: Authorizing the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture – or a deputy – to hold talks with the British side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) of the United Kingdom's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on cooperation in preserving marine environment, sign it and refer the final signed copy to proceed with formal procedures. Sixth: Authorizing the Minister of Communications and Information Technology – or a deputy – to hold talks with the Pakistani side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of ICT between the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication in Pakistan, sign it and refer the final signed copy to proceed with formal procedures. Seventh: Approving a memorandum of understanding in the tourism sector between the Ministry of Tourism in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism in Seychelles. Eighth: Authorizing the Minister of Tourism – or a deputy – to hold talks with the Bahamian side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the tourism sector between the Ministry of Tourism in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Tourism, Investment and Aviation in the Bahamas, sign it and refer the final signed copy to proceed with formal procedures. Ninth: Authorizing the Minister of Transport and Logistic Services – or a deputy – to hold talks with stakeholders in other countries regarding a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the future of modern transport methods between the Ministry of Transport and Logistic Services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and counterparts in those countries, sign it and refer the final signed copy to proceed with formal procedures. Tenth: Authorizing the Minister of Media and Chairman of the General Commission for Audiovisual Media – or a deputy – to hold talks with the Senegalese side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding between the General Commission for Audiovisual Media in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the national council for the organization of audiovisual media in Senegal, sign it and refer the final signed copy to proceed with formal procedures. Eleventh: Amending the duration of tolerability of the Human Resources Development Fund, set out in paragraph (3) of Item (Second) of the Fund's bylaw, for those who have been previously supported by the fund for tourism accommodation in Makkah and Madina, to be three years instead of two years, under a number of conditions, as set out in the resolution. Twelfth: Approving the constraints and requirements necessary to exclude humanitarian situations requiring more domestic labor than the permissible limit of payment of the financial compensation provided for in Item (First) of the Cabinet's Decision No. (336) issued on 15/6/1443 Hijri. Thirteenth: The ownership of the Tatweer Education Holding Company is referred to the state. Fourteenth: Approval that mandatory cooperative insurance against medical errors should include health practitioners working in the following disciplines: nursing, pharmacy, anesthesia, midwifery, laboratories, diagnostic radiology, ambulance (emergency medical services), physiotherapy, speech and communication, respiratory treatment, nutrition (intravenous therapeutic nutrition), cardiology, audiology, bone setting, withdrawing blood, optics, and operation room technician. Fifteenth: Accrediting two final statements for the general commission for zakat and income (previously) and the Saudi Space Commission for a previous fiscal year. The Council of Ministers has also reviewed a number of issues on its agenda, including annual reports of the General Authority for Zakat, Tax and Customs, the General Entertainment Authority, the General Presidency of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, the General Court of Audit, and the Saudi Energy Efficiency Centre, and took necessary decisions related to these issues.
