Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Chairs Cabinet's Virtual Session

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Prime Minister, chaired the Cabinet's virtual session on Tuesday.

At the outset of the meeting, the Cabinet was briefed on the contents of the talks and consultations held by the Kingdom with a number of close and friendly states to deepen bilateral and multilateral cooperation to further contribute to upgrading its relations with them, enhance its pioneering leadership and position at the international community, as well as the pivotal role it plays through its share in the global output.

In this regard, the Cabinet reiterated the Kingdom’s firm positions towards bringing about security, stability and prosperity in the region and the world and enhancing the concept of peace, co-existence and sustainable development. The Cabinet also reiterated the country’s strong positions on finding feasible solutions to environmental and climate issues, protection of earth and nature and placing them in a road map with clear and ambitious landmarks through the Saudi Green and Middle East Green initiatives, which will contribute to achieving global targets.

The Cabinet affirmed the Kingdom’s support for international efforts in combating terrorism in all its forms, manifestations and methods, preventing finance and flow of funds to terrorist organizations and combating their ideology. The Cabinet reiterated the Kingdom’s proceeding with its role as a vital partner to the United Nations system in this aspect and its keenness on supporting the international coalition to besiege and finally eliminate the terrorist organization, given the threats it represents together with the similar terrorist organizations to international peace and security. In this regard, the Cabinet cited the Kingdom's participation in the recently-held Second United Nations High-level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Services and the Ministerial Meeting of the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) following the meeting, Acting Minister of Media Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi pointed out that the Cabinet highlighted the outcomes of the high-level ministerial meeting for international cooperation in Asia and The Pacific, during which Saudi Arabia expressed keenness on sharing the world the challenges and difficulties they are facing, and its response to humanitarian calls across the entire world, including dedicating its efforts to confronting the emerging coronavirus pandemic by taking the utmost precautionary health measures with highest international standards. In this regard, the Cabinet referred to Saudi Arabia's G20 presidency 2020 during which it focused on comforting the pandemic, including its economic and social consequences, whereas its outputs addressed the most important aspects that affect human life.

Addressing local issues, the Cabinet considered Saudi Arabia's ranking second globally in the global cybersecurity index, and achieving quantum leaps during the past years in this index issued by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), as a fair result of the efforts of the State and its keenness to enhance the cybersecurity system, and make it a pioneering model in this field that reflects the progress in the maturity and governance of the system since the launch of Saudi Vision 2030, to empower a safe digital transformation and achieve its sustainability, in a way that contributes to the consolidation of Saudi Arabia’s position regionally and internationally, and emphasizes effective cooperation at the international level.

The Acting Minister of Media stated that the Cabinet paid tribute to the pre-emptive security follow-ups and chasing of the criminal networks actively involved in smuggling narcotics into Saudi Arabia. In this regard, he lauded the concerted efforts of the General Directorate of Narcotics Control and the General Authority of Zakat, Tax and Customs, successfully carried out to protect members of the society from this scourge, citing, in particular, the foiling of an attempt to smuggle 14,400,000 tablets of Amphetamine into the country.

The Cabinet was briefed on issues on its agenda, some of which were co-studied by the Shura council, including outcomes reached by each of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, the Council of Political and Security Affairs, the Cabinet's General Committee and the Cabinet's Bureau of Experts.

The Cabinet issued the following decisions:

First: The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Interior, or his deputy, to discuss with the Indian side a draft memorandum of understanding between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of Republic of India on cooperation to combat and prevent trafficking in persons, sign it and forward the final version of the MoU for further authentication.

Second: The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, who is also Chairman of General Authority of Endowments (Awqaf), or his representative, to discuss with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) a draft memorandum of understanding between the General Authority of Awqaf of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and IDB on cooperation in the field of endowments, sign it and forward the final version of the MoU for further authentication.

Third: The Cabinet approved a memorandum of cooperation between King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (Darah) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the National Library and Documentation House, an affiliate of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities of the Republic of Iraq.

Fourth: The Cabinet approved amending Article (3) of Antiquities, Museums and Urban Heritage System, issued by the Royal Decree No. (M/3) dated 9/1/1436 H. as per the attached resolution.

Fifth: The Cabinet approved the organizational arrangements for the National Center for Government Resources System.

Sixth: The Cabinet approved re-naming the Ministry of Transport as Ministry of Transport and Logistic Services.

Seventh: The Cabinet renewed the membership of Princess Haifa bint Mohammad bin Saud Al Saud as representative of the Ministry of Tourism in the Board of Directors of the General Authority of Civil Aviation.

Eighth: The Cabinet approved two promotions at the 14th and 15th ranks.

The Cabinet was briefed on a number of issues on its agenda and took relevant recommendations.