Riyadh, SPA:
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired yesterday the Cabinet's virtual session.
At the outset of the session, the Cabinet reviewed reports on Coronavirus pandemic locally and globally; statistics on the confirmed cases reported in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; the medical care provided for all infected cases; the developments of monitoring Coronavirus via specialized clinics, health centers and hospitals, which demonstrated a high ability to track infected cases at three times ratio of the global average; and the services and products developed within the proactive plans to reduce the spread of Coronavirus and to provide high-quality medical care for all citizens and expatriates, including conducting more than 2,000,000 laboratory tests, increasing the capacity of intensive care units in the Kingdom's hospitals by 30% during the past three months.
The Cabinet reviewed the efforts and preparations of government bodies participating in this year's Hajj season as well as their executive plans that aim at providing the highest levels of safety and security for pilgrims, in implementation of the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and HRH the Crown Prince.
Minister of State and Acting Minister of Media Dr. Issam bin Saad bin Saeid pointed out, in a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), that the Cabinet discussed the roles shouldered by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in response to its responsibilities, as the president of the G20, including continuing to back up internationally exerted efforts to enhance the World Trade Organization (WTO), formulating a strategic vision for member states to consolidate the role of trade in bolstering economic growth and realize sustainable development, in such a stage, as the world experiencing great variables, in the trade system and reasserting the significance of the pivotal role of the WTO in formulating and enforcing international traded rules, caring for and developing them.
In addition, he added, to reviewing issues discussed during a G20 conference held under the chairmanship of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Paris Forum on restoring balanced levels for international capital flows and consolidating financing for development and confronting ensuing challenges of their volatilities, due to the health and economic fallouts of Coronavirus pandemics and exceptional procedures taken by the governments around the world, as well as their central banks in response to the crisis, on health and economic levels, to maintain the stability of world financial system.
The Cabinet reiterated strong condemnation and disapproval of the Iran-backed terrorist Houthi militia continuation of launching ballistic missiles and bobby-trapped drones targeting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in a premeditated ways aimed at civilians and civilian sites, dismissing them as terrorist and savage attacks, as the militia reject to positively respond to the cease fire initiative announced by the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen.
Dr. Issam bin Saeed also said that the Cabinet reviewed the latest developments on regional and international arenas, highlighting the Expo held on the sidelines of the Virtual Counter-Terrorism Week 2020, in which the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reiterated its permanent stance and partnership with the United Nations in combating terrorism and extremism, resulting in the establishment of the Center for Combating Terrorism funded by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Moreover, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia affirmed its continued support for the Center, encouraging Member States and the United Nations to support countries in achieving their regional and national counter-terrorism strategies.
The Council was briefed on the topics on its agenda and concluded the following:
First:
Approval of a memorandum of understanding between the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania regarding mutual exemption from the short-term residence visa for holders of diplomatic and private passports and service for citizens of both countries.
Second:
Approval of a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the cultural field between the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the government of the United Arab Emirates.
Third:
Approval of a memorandum of understanding for cooperation and exchange of news between the Saudi News Agency and the Albanian News Agency.
Fourthly :
Approval of a memorandum of understanding in the field of veterinary safety and phytosanitary for agricultural and animal products between the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State Inspectorate for Veterinary Safety and Phytosanitary in the Kyrgyz Republic.
Fifthly:
Approval of the Air Services Agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of Iceland.
Sixthly :
Approval of a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of airports between the General Authority of Civil Aviation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Lands, Infrastructure and Transport in the Republic of Korea.
Seventh:
Approving the organization of the Foreign Trade General Authority as stated in the accompanying decision.
Eighth:
Approval of transferring supervision, organization and setting up of speed racing activities for purebred Arabian horses, from the King Abdulaziz Center for Purebred Arabian Horses to the Equestrian Club, and the club shall replace the King Abdulaziz Center for Purebred Arabian Horses in representing the Kingdom in the World Arabian Horse Racing Organization.
Ninth:
Approving the amendment of the regulations on the practice of women's dressing activity - issued by Cabinet Resolution No. (342) dated 18/8/1435 AH, and amended by Cabinet Resolution No. (90) dated 7/2/1440 AH - as indicated in the decision.
Tenth:
Abolition of the National Population Committee, established by Cabinet Resolution No. (219) dated 2/7/1428 AH, and assigning its duties to the Population Census Committee, formed by Royal Order No. (6492) and dated 10/2/1439 AH, and amending the name of “Population Census Committee” to be Committee on Population Policies.
eleventh :
Approving two promotions for the fifteenth and fourteenth ranks.
The Cabinet also reviewed a number of general topics on its agenda, including two annual reports of the General Authority of the State on the Funds of Minors and Their Equivalents, for two previous fiscal years, and the final report of the public housing project prepared by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development based on the cabinet's previous directive to the Social Development Bank to support the program of maintenance of public housing with the amount of (five hundred) million riyals, and what has been accomplished in this regard, and that (11600) social security cases have benefited from this support. The cabinet took the necessary decisions on these issues.