Saudi Gazette report
RIYADH — The Saudi Council of Ministers welcomed the decision of the United States of America to lift sanctions imposed on Syria. The Cabinet session, chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman in Riyadh on Tuesday, praised the positive role taken by US President Donald Trump in this regard, since Trump’s announcement during his visit to Saudi Arabia to the recent signing of the law repealing the Caesar Act.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary said that the Cabinet lauded the high-speed electric train project linking Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which will support transportation, boost tourism and economic activity. The Cabinet noted that the train project will become one of the region’s most prominent development initiatives, contributing to Gulf integration and connectivity through a state-of-the-art railway network.

At the outset of the session, the Cabinet reviewed recent discussions and communications between Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman and leaders of friendly countries aimed at expanding cooperation to advance shared interests and enhance coordination on global issues and challenges.

The Cabinet commended the outcomes of the fourth meeting of the Saudi-Bahraini Coordination Council and the eighth meeting of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council, which reaffirmed the commitment to advancing relations with both countries across all sectors and resulted in the signing of agreements and memoranda of understanding to expand cooperation, particularly in development fields.

The Cabinet also reviewed the Kingdom’s participation in regional and international meetings, including the outcomes of the 46th session of the Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council. These outcomes reaffirmed the importance of fully, precisely, and continuously implementing the vision of King Salman to strengthen joint Gulf action.

Al-Dossary said that the Cabinet reaffirmed Saudi Arabia's commitment to regional security and stability, peaceful conflict resolution, humanitarian aid, and intercultural dialogue. The Cabinet also supports international organizations and aims to foster conditions for development in the Middle East and beyond.

On domestic matters, the Cabinet commended government entities for their efforts in enhancing citizens' capabilities, achieving comprehensive development goals, and maintaining leadership across various sectors, emphasizing the need to accelerate initiatives for further national progress.

The Cabinet noted the inclusion of Riyadh, AlUla, and Riyadh Al-Khabra in the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities, highlighting the Kingdom's dedication to providing sustainable learning opportunities and enhancing its global standing.

The Council observed that Saudi Arabia ranked second globally in Digital Government, according to the 2025 World Bank Group GovTech Maturity Index. This achievement reflects an integrated government ecosystem, advanced digital infrastructure, and high-quality electronic services.

The Cabinet also noted that the Kingdom ranked fifth globally and first in the Arab world in the growth of the artificial intelligence sector, as reported in the Global AI Index. This underscores the state’s leadership and support for innovation and economic growth in this field.

The Cabinet praised the success of the Made in Saudi Expo 2025, featuring Syria as this year's guest of honor. The event facilitated the signing of significant agreements and partnerships to enhance the competitiveness of national products in regional and global markets.

The Cabinet approved the rules and standards for naming public facilities. It also endorsed the unified rules for empowering persons with disabilities in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), adopted by the 45th session of the Supreme Council of the GCC held in Kuwait City.

The Cabinet authorized the minister of interior or his deputy to discuss and sign with the Uzbek side a draft agreement on extradition of wanted persons, and authorized the minister of foreign affairs or his deputy to discuss and sign with the Spanish side a draft memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the establishment of a Saudi-Spanish Strategic Partnership Council.

The Cabinet authorized the minister of culture and chairman of the board of trustees of the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language or his deputy to discuss and sign with the Muslim World League a draft MoU for cooperation in promoting the Arabic language.

The Council approved a draft memorandum of cooperation on legal and judicial affairs between the Saudi Ministry of Justice and the Japanese Ministry of Justice, and a draft MoU between the Saudi Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority and the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department on cooperation and mutual administrative assistance in customs matters.

It authorized the minister of transport and logistic services and chairman of the board of directors of the Saudi Ports Authority or his deputy to discuss and sign with the Singaporean side a draft MoU on green and digital shipping between the authority and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, and authorized the chairman of the board of directors of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority or his deputy to discuss and sign with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) a draft agreement designating the authority as a reference center for the FAO on antimicrobial resistance.

The Cabinet authorized the president of the General Court of Audit (GCA) or his deputy to discuss and sign a draft MoU on cooperation in accounting, auditing, and professional work with the State Audit Office of North Macedonia, and approved a draft MoU on cooperation in accounting, auditing, and professional work between GCA and the State Control Committee of Belarus.