Jeddah, SPA:
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet's session at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah on Tuesday afternoon.
At the outset of the session, the King briefed the Cabinet on the content of the telephone call received from President Mahamadou Issoufou of the Republic of the Niger and the results of the official talks with the Prime Minister of Iraq Adil Abdul-Mahdi.
Minister of Media Turki bin Abdullah Al-Shabanah said in a statement to the Saudi Press Agency that the Cabinet reviewed reports on latest developments at Arab, regional and international arenas. It stressed the contents of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's speech before the United Nations General Assembly at its 74th session in New York, citing the call on the international community to stand a unified and solid position to exert maximum pressure to end the terrorist and aggressive conduct of the Iranian regime, and change its nature and conduct, after it became known only for bombing, destruction and killing in the whole world for 40 years. The Cabinet expressed in this regard its appreciation for the condemnation and denunciation by participating countries of the sabotage attacks on two oil plants in Khurais and Abqaiq affiliated to Aramco, considering them a serious threat to the security of the region, international security and global energy supplies, and the countries' support for all measures taken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to enhance security and stability and confront any aggression.
The Cabinet affirmed that the Kingdom's announcement to complete the payment of its pledge, announced this year at the pledge conference for the Republic of Yemen at the United Nations, of 500 million dollars, and the generous donation made to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) of 50 million dollars, 10 million dollars for the Rohingya, and 3 million dollars in support of the work plan, activities and programs of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations for the next three years, are an extension of the Kingdom's commitment to its humanitarian principles and an affirmation of its support for the stability of the peoples facing tragedies and standing by them.
The Cabinet welcomed the establishment of the Constitutional Committee in Syria, stressing that the Kingdom supports the political track to end the Syrian crisis, based on United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254 to preserve the territorial integrity of Syria.
The Cabinet also welcomed the joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, America, Britain, France, Germany, Egypt and Jordan on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, which stressed zero tolerance for the use of chemical weapons in Syria, and that all parties should comply with the rules of the international law and hold accountable all perpetrators of human rights violations in Syria.
The Cabinet renewed the Kingdom's solidarity and support for the efforts of the Arab Republic of Egypt in its war on terrorism, the latest one was the measures taken by the Egyptian armed forces and police in northern Sinai. The Cabinet offered condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims and the government and people of Egypt, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.
In the local affairs, the Cabinet counted the opening of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, of King Abdulaziz International Airport, Terminal 1, is an extension of the civilizational development being witnessed by the Kingdom and giant projects to serve citizens, residents and the guests of the two Holy Mosques of Umrah performers and visitors, which will contribute to attract 30 million Umrah performers annually to achieve one of the objectives of the Kingdom's vision 2030.
The Cabinet issued the following decisions:
First:
The Cabinet authorized discussions with the United Arab Emirates side on draft memorandums of understanding in the following areas:
- In the field of peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
- In the field of food security.
- In the field of financial services.
- In the field of civil aviation security.
- In the field of academic cooperation with Mohammed Rashid School of Government and AlQasimia University.
Second :
The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Interior - or his deputy - to discuss and sign with the Tajikistani side a draft cooperation agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan in the field of combating the illicit traffic in drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals, and submit the final version to complete formal procedures
Third :
The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance - or his deputy - to discuss and sign with the Lebanese side a draft memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Lebanon's Dar al-Fatwa in the field of Islamic affairs, and submit the final version to complete formal procedures.
Fourth :
The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, or his deputy, to discuss and sign with the Lebanese side a draft memorandum of understanding in the field of grains between the Saudi Grains Organization in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the General directorate of Cereals And Sugar beets in Lebanon, and submit the final version to complete formal procedures
Fifth:
The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Foreign Affairs- or his deputy - to discuss with the Chinese side a draft strategic partnership agreement between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the People's Republic of China, and submit the final version to complete formal procedures.
Sixth:
The Cabinet authorized the Chairman of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SDFA) - or his deputy - to discuss and sign with the Iraqi side a draft memorandum of understanding between the SFDA of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Health in the Republic of Iraq on cooperation in the field of pharmaceuticals, devices, supplies medical products, and clinical studies, and submit the final version to complete formal procedures.
Seventh:
The Cabinet approved to amend the organization of the General Authority for Competition.
Eighth:
The Cabinet decided to renew the membership of Eng. Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Shadid, from the private sector, in the Board of Directors of the General Authority for Survey.
Ninth:
The Cabinet approved to launch the national system for dealing with (Halal) products, provided that:
1- The Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization shall undertake the tasks of acceptance and accreditation of the (Halal) certificates, and the organization has to demand from the exporting sources wishing to provide Halal certificates and a certificate of sponsorship from the authority specified by the organization as it deems appropriate for each individual state.
2- The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) shall take the necessary steps to establish the (Halal) center to be an independent body for granting (Halal) certificates.
Tenth:
The Cabinet decided to appoint Bassam bin Abdullah Al-Kharashi, Thamer bin Saleh Al-Munajim and Masa'ad bin Abdullah bin Saeed as members of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Business Center, from the private sector.
Eleventh:
The Cabinet approved changing the name of the Center for the Development of Administrative Leaders to the Academy for the Development of Administrative Leaders.
Twelfth:
The Cabinet approved amending item a/1 of the Fifth Article of the publications and publishing law to be read as follows: He/she shall be a Saudi national, but any of the activities mentioned in Article (2) of this Law, may be exempted from this condition, by a decision to be taken by the Board of the General Investment Authority.
A royal decree has been prepared, in this regard.
Thirteenth:
The Cabinet approved to delete the list of services subject to the publications and publishing law contained in paragraph (7 / b) of item (I) of the Economic Council abolished decision No. (A / 28) dated 5/3/1428H.
Fourteenth:
The Cabinet approved two promotions to the 14 rank, as follows:
1- Eng. Ghazi bin Abdulkhaliq bin Obaid Al-Harbi to the post of (Advisor for Technical Affairs), 14 rank, at the Mayoralty of the Holy Capital.
2- Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Swailem to the post of (Head of a sub-municipality), 14 rank, at the Mayoralty of the Riyadh region.
The Cabinet reviewed a number of general topics on its agenda, including two annual reports from the Ministry of Commerce and Investment and the Institute of Public Administration for a previous fiscal year. The Council took note of them and made appropriate recommendations, in their regards.