Riyadh, SPA:
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet's session held at Al-Yamamah Palace here yesterday.
At the outset of the session, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques welcomed the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Transport to the Cabinet, wishing them success. Then, The King briefed the Cabinet on the results of his talks with President Ueli Maurer of the Swiss Confederation, reviewing opportunities for cooperation between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Switzerland, means of enhancing and developing relations between the two countries in various fields. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques also briefed the Cabinet on the results of his receptions of King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the Republic of India, reviewing cooperation with the Kingdom and regional and international developments, as well as the contents of the message received from Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of the state of Kuwait.
The Cabinet expressed appreciation for the patronage by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for the third edition of the Future Investment Initiative 2019, which will host this year some of the world's most prestigious figures and decision makers, and major investors and international experts, to discover the future of the business world through trends and economic opportunities, prospecting future industries, and contributing to the outlook for the future of the global investment, according to the programs of the Kingdom's Vision 2030.
Minister of Media Turki bin Abdullah Al-Shabanah said, following the session, in a statement to the Saudi Press Agency that the Cabinet reviewed the report from the National Competitiveness Center (TAYSEER) containing the results of the World Bank Doing Business 2020 report ranking the Kingdom as the first country in the world in the number of reforms achieved, and the most progress among the (190) countries measured in the report. The Cabinet appreciated the role of government agencies involved in the implementation of economic reforms as well as the contribution of the private sector, which enhances the competitiveness of the Kingdom to be among the most competitive countries in the world. It also appreciated the emphasis by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques on the importance of continuing cooperation among all bodies, exerting more efforts to improve the business environment in line with the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, and his stressing on the importance of cooperation of all government agencies in reaching desired goals in providing the best government services for citizens.
The Cabinet reiterated the Kingdom's appreciation of the US administration's efforts and success in eliminating ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and pursuing its members, stressing the Kingdom's continued efforts with its allies, led by the United States of America, to combat terrorism, drying up its sources and confronting its dangerous criminal idea.
He pointed out that the Cabinet reviewed a number of reports on the latest developments of events in the region and the world, pointing to the announcement of the Coalition Forces Command to repositioning of the coalition forces, in Aden, to be led by the Kingdom and redeploying it, according to the requirements of the current tasks, adding that move is falling in the framework of the Kingdom's continuous efforts to coordinate military and security operations plans, in Yemen, and to enhance humanitarian and relief efforts and to confirm its continued efforts to achieve security and stability, in Yemen, and support the brotherly Yemeni people with all its components and legitimate government.
The Cabinet also welcomed the agreement reached up between President Abdelfattah El-Sisi of Egypt and the Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed to immediately resume the work of the Technical Committee on the Renaissance Dam, to reach a final vision on the rules of filling and operating the dam, ensuring interests of all parties and achieve their sustainable development.
It also referred to the final resolutions of the Arab ministers responsible for the environment, in its 31st session in Cairo, calling on Arab and regional organizations to continue exposing the systematic sabotage of the Arab environment, in the occupied territories, by the Israeli occupying forces and the need to mobilize international and Arab support for Arab causes.
The Cabinet also commended the efforts of the Arab Atomic Energy Agency to study the potential effects of border and transboundary reactors on the Arab region and its environment, in particular the Israeli Dimona and Iranian Bushehr reactors, and follow up the monitoring of radioactive contamination, in the Arab regions, bordering Israel and its effects on the region.
Firstly:
The Cabinet approved the Arab Protocol to Prevent and Combat Trafficking, in Human Beings, especially Women and Children, and the Arab Protocol for Prevention and Combating Maritime Piracy and Armed Robbery, Supplementing and completing the Arab Convention against Trans-national Organized Crime.
A royal decree was prepared, in this regard.
Secondly:
The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Foreign Affairs - or his deputy - to discuss with the French side the draft agreement on the formation of the Strategic Partnership Council between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Republic of France, submit the outcome, to complete the necessary formalities.
Thirdly:
The Cabinet approved King Saud University to sign two draft memorandums of understanding for academic cooperation between King Saud University, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Universities of Edinburgh and Liverpool, in the United Kingdom.
Fourthly:
The Cabinet decided to amend the executive regulations of the White Land Fees Regulation issued by the Cabinet's decision, as specified in the decision.
Fifthly:
The Cabinet decided the following
1- Approval of the amendments to the Regulations of the Saudi Fund for Development
2- Amending the system of the Social Development Bank
Sixthly:
The Cabinet decided to approve the system of universities
A royal decree was prepared, in this regard.
Seventhly:
The Cabinet approved a promotion to the post of Ambassador, appointment and promotion, to rank 14, as follows
1 - Ali bin Abdulrahman bin Ali bin Yousef to the post of ambassador, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2 - Fahd bin Abdullah bin Ali Al-Jabr appointed to the post of Director General of the Minister's Office, rank 14, at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance.
3 - Mansour bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Rajeh appointed as Director General of the Minister's Office, rank 14, at the Ministry of Health.
The Cabinet reviewed a number of general topics on its agenda, including annual reports from the Agricultural Development Fund, the General Authority for Zakat and Income and the General Authority for Statistics, for a previous fiscal year.
The Cabinet took note of them and made appropriate recommendations.