Saudi Gazette report
RIYADH — The Saudi Council of Ministers reiterated its full support for the resolutions adopted by the Extraordinary Arab Summit for Palestine, held in Cairo, Egypt on Tuesday. Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman chaired the Cabinet session in Riyadh.
The Cairo summit rejected the displacement of the Palestinian people from their land and called to end the catastrophic consequences of the war. The Cabinet also stressed the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and to attain their legitimate rights, including the establishment of an independent state along the 1967 borders, with east Jerusalem as its capital.
In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) following the session, Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary said that the Cabinet condemned the decision of the Israeli occupation government to halt the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. It called on the international community to fulfill its responsibilities regarding these serious violations, as well as to activate international accountability mechanisms, and ensure the sustained delivery of aid.
At the outset of the session, the Crown Prince expressed gratitude to God on the occasion of the blessed month of Ramadan, underlining the honor bestowed upon the Kingdom to serve the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque and care for their visitors. He emphasized the Kingdom's commitment to fulfilling this great responsibility and dedicating all efforts and capabilities to ensure the comfort of the visitors from their arrival until their safe return to their homes.
The Crown Prince briefed the Cabinet on the contents of messages received by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and himself from Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Comoros President Azali Assoumani. He also briefed the Cabinet on the outcomes of his discussions with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun during his official visit to the Kingdom. The talks covered ways to enhance Saudi-Lebanese relations in various fields as well as the latest developments in Lebanon and the region and the efforts to address them.
Al-Dossary said that the Cabinet emphasized the importance of the joint statement between Saudi Arabia and Lebanon, which underscored the importance of the full implementation of the Taif Agreement, the application of relevant international resolutions, the extension of state sovereignty over all Lebanese territories, the exclusive possession of arms by the Lebanese state, reiterating the national role of the Lebanese army, and the necessity of the withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces from all Lebanese territories.
On the domestic front, the Cabinet confirmed the government's continued support for the social services system and national initiatives aimed at providing housing for deserved families, commending the cooperation and integration among the government, private, and non-profit organizations, as well as community members, to achieve the goals of the Jood Regions Campaign.
The Cabinet also reviewed the progress of major development and service projects currently being completed to enhance the comprehensive development in the Kingdom. It also praised the opening of the first phase of the Sports Boulevard project, which will contribute to position Riyadh among the world's most livable destinations.
The Cabinet approved the organization of the Saudi Investment Marketing Authority. The Cabinet decided to transform the National Committee for the Saudi Building Code into a center called the Saudi Center for the Building Code. It approved the center’s organizational arrangements, amending the Saudi Building Code Application Law, and endorsed in principle the establishment of the Saudi Building Code Academy.
The Council authorized the Minister of Interior or his deputy to discuss and sign a draft memorandum of understanding (MoU) on civil defense and civil protection cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the Maldives.
It approved a MoU on political consultations between the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ireland. The Council approved two guiding models for MoUs for cooperation in industry and mineral resources between the Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and its counterparts in other countries, and authorized the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources or his deputy to discuss and sign these MoUs in the field of industry and mineral resources based on the guiding models.
The Cabinet approved an agreement on the promotion and protection of mutual investments between Saudi Arabia and Egypt. It authorized the Minister of Education or his deputy to discuss and sign a draft MoU for scientific and educational cooperation between the Saudi Ministry of Education (Educational Research Center) and the Gulf Cooperation Council General Secretariat (Gulf Arab States Educational Research Center).
The Council approved a headquarters agreement between Saudi Arabia and the Council of Arab Cybersecurity Ministers and an agreement between Saudi Arabia and the government of the Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Brunei Darussalam in the field of air transport services.
It authorized the minister of tourism, chairman of the board of directors of the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) or his deputy to discuss and sign with the Jordanian side a draft MoU for cooperation in tourism promotion and marketing between the STA and the Jordanian Tourism Promotion Authority.
The Council approved a MoU between the Saudi General Authority for Competition (GAC) and the Qatari Ministry of Commerce and Industry in the field of competition enhancement, and a MoU between the Saudi Presidency of State Security and the Iraqi National Intelligence Service in the field of combating terrorism and its financing, and another MoU for cooperation between the Saudi Public Prosecution and the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan.
