The two new councils set up by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman last month
have been given stringent mandates to formulate and implement the country’s political,
security and economic policies, the Cabinet announced on Monday.
The Council of Political and Security Affairs and the Council of Economic and
Development Affairs would “identify various trends, visions and goals” and “follow up
their implementation and coordination,” the Minister of Culture and Information Adel
Al-Toraifi said in a statement.
At its weekly meeting on Monday chaired by King Salman, the Cabinet decided that each
council would have a secretariat supported by advisers and experts. They would also have
offices for project management to verify whether parties are committed to implementing
strategies and plans.
King Salman had announced in January that the Council for Political and Security Affairs
would have nine members and be chaired by Prince Mohammed bin Naif, second deputy
premier and interior minister. The 22-member Council for Economic and Development
Affairs would be chaired by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the defense minister, the king
had ordered.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet expressed its concern at developments in Yemen, which it said is
a threat to the security of that country and the region. The Cabinet said that the
action was a coup and contrary to international resolutions related to Yemen, the Gulf
Initiative adopted by the international community, and the Yemeni national dialogue.
The Cabinet reiterated the Kingdom’s stand against “all extremist ideologies and terror
organizations” and “condemnation of the savageries” committed by the Islamic State
group, particularly the murders of a Jordanian pilot and two Japanese hostages, Al-
Toraifi said in a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the meeting.