Riyadh, SPA:
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet's session at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh on Tuesday afternoon.
At the outset of the session, the King briefed the Cabinet on the results of his talks with President Mahmoud Abbas of the State of Palestine, during which they discussed latest developments at the Palestinian arena, and the reiteration of the Kingdom's permanent and firm positions with the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights to establish their independent State with East Jerusalem (AlQuds) as its capital.
Minister of Civil Service and Acting Minister of Media Sulaiman bin Abdullah Al-Hamdan said in a statement to Saudi Press Agency following the session that the inauguration by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and laying the foundation stone for 1281 projects exceeding the total cost of 82 billion riyals covering various development sectors in Riyadh, embody the development progress being witnessed by all the Kingdom's regions, to achieve the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which seeks to strengthen the Kingdom's position and invest its abundant potentials and capabilities.
The Cabinet expressed its appreciation of the King's order to release all insolvent prisoners of citizens of Riyadh region, and other regions of the Kingdom, in rights law cases and not criminal cases whose debts do not exceed one million riyals and their insolvency is proved legally and the payment of their debts.
The Cabinet was briefed on the results of the visit of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, looking forward to the results of HRH Crown Prince's forthcoming visits to the Republic of India and the People's Republic of China, upon the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and his keenness to communicate and strengthen relations between the Kingdom and sisterly and friendly countries in all fields and in response to invitations extended to HRH Crown Prince.
In this context, the Cabinet affirmed that HRH the Crown Prince's visit to the Republic of Pakistan and his talks with President Dr. Arif Alvi of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan and senior officials in addition to an establishment of the Saudi-Pakistani Coordination Council and the signing of seven bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding amount to $20 billion dollars reflect the strength of strategic relations between the two brotherly countries and the desire to consolidate and deepen them in all fields.
The Minister also pointed out that the Cabinet discussed the Kingdom's participation in the ministerial conference to enhance the future of peace and security in the Middle East, which was held in Warsaw, affirming a continuation of the Kingdom's role in its leading efforts and initiatives to combat terrorism and extremism in order to ensure cooperation and coordination supporting the international and regional efforts in eradicating terrorist organizations.
The Cabinet welcomed the statement issued by the Foreign Ministers of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States following a meeting on the situation in Yemen held in Warsaw. The statement affirmed their commitment to find a comprehensive political solution to the Yemeni conflict and supported the agreements reached in Sweden on December 2018, denouncing Iran's destabilization of Yemen's stability through funding illegally the Houthi militias with missiles and advanced weapons. This Iranian illegal support represents a violation of the UN Security Council resolutions no. 2216 and 2231.
At a conclusion of the session, Sulaiman bin Abdullah Al-Hamdan said that the Cabinet issued the following resolutions:
First:
The Cabinet approved two memoranda of understanding on political consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Foreign Ministries of the Republics of Lithuania and Zambia.
Second:
The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources to sign a framework agreement on establishing the International Solar Energy Alliance.
Third:
The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources - or his deputy - to discuss with the Indian side a draft memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of energy efficiency, between the Saudi Efficiency Energy Center and the Indian National Productivity Council, sign it and submit the finally signed version, to complete formal procedures.
Fourth:
The Cabinet approved signing memoranda of understanding between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the United Arab Emirates, in the following fields: Environment, water, agriculture, youth, financial markets and services, customs' cooperation, common market, housing, logistics sector and infrastructure.
Royal Decrees were made, in this regard.
Fifth:
The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Media - or his deputy - to discuss with the Indian side a draft agreement between the Ministry of Media, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in the Republic of India, in the field of joint production of audio-visuals, submit the conclusions, to complete formal procedures.
Sixth:
The Cabinet approved adding a paragraph numbered as (3) to article (seventy one) of the regulation of penal procedures system, and the (amended) text shall be read as follows: Hearing of the accused in cases of domestic violence shall be heard and investigated, in the presence of an experienced psychologist or social worker, if necessary.
Seventh:
The Cabinet approved promotions at ranks 15 and 14 and a minister plenipotentiary as follows:
1. Abdurrahman bin Sulaiman bin Mohammed Al Ali is promoted to a post of Director General of Finance and Budget (15th rank) at the Naval Forces.
2. Eng. Sulaiman bin Ibrahim bin Sulaiman Al-Arifi is promoted to a post of Security Advisor (15th rank) at the Ministry of Interior.
3. Eng. Faris bin Mayah bin Shafq Al-Sarhani is promoted to a post of Mayor of Tabuk Region (15th rank) at the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs.
4. Mansour bin Abdulaziz bin Hamad Al-Askar is promoted to a post of Director General of Administrative Development (14th rank) at the Ministry of National Guard.
5. Eng. Fahd bin Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Qafari is promoted to a post of Engineering Advisor (14th rank) at the Ministry of National Guard.
6. Eng. Saud bin Abdulaziz bin Saud Al-Zanifir is promoted to a post of Civil Adviser Engineer (14th rank) at Riyadh Region Principality.
7. The following are promoted to a post of minister plenipotentiary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
- Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Farian- Abdullah bin Nasser bin Fawaz Al Shareef
- Abdul-Illah bin Khaddam bin Saleh Al-Fayez- Hatem bin Abdulaziz Othman Idris
- Abdulhadi bin Mohammed bin Atta Jaber- Khalid bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al-Khuraiji
- Fahd bin Salem bin Faisal Abu Thunayn- Iyad bin Ghazi bin Sulaiman Hakim
- Abdulaziz bin Saleh bin Ibrahim Al-Twaiyan- Faisal bin Ghazi bin Ismail Hafzi
- Ali bin Ghannam bin Salem Al-Dosari- Abdulmoneim bin Abdurrahman bin Saleh Al-Mahmoud.
The Cabinet was briefed on a number of general issues on its agenda, including annual reports of Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC); Saudi Wildlife Authority (SWA) and Saudi Customs. Following taking notice of them, the Cabinet issued relevant instructions.