The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Chairs Cabinet Session

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet session held in Riyadh today.

 The Cabinet was briefed on the meeting of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, with Iraqi Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani, which focused on relations between the two countries, as well as regional developments.

 The Cabinet discussed the recent cooperation developments between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and countries and organizations all over the world, as well as the steps taken and achievements made to strengthen regional and international ties, support endeavors to attain security, stability, and development, and address Arab issues.

 The Cabinet welcomed the adoption of a resolution by the UN General Assembly that requests an advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on Israel’s obligations concerning the presence and activities of the United Nations, other international organizations and third states.

 The Cabinet also expressed appreciation for the positive stance of the countries that voted in favor of the resolution, which was submitted by Norway in partnership with the Kingdom.

 In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary said that the Cabinet reiterated the Kingdom's position, as outlined at the third consultative meeting of multilateral organizations sponsoring peace initiatives in Sudan, which underscores the urgent need to end the conflict, increase efforts to deliver humanitarian aid in this brotherly country, and work toward a political future that ensures Sudan's security, stability, unity, and sovereignty.

 The Cabinet commended the outcomes of the inaugural session of the Arab Cybersecurity Ministers Council. Established upon a Saudi proposal, the council reflects the Kingdom's unwavering commitment to safeguarding Arab security and encouraging coordinated efforts to protect the interests of Arab nations.

 Domestically, the Cabinet acknowledged the significant progress made by government agencies in the digital transformation index for 2024. This progress reflects the Kingdom's commitment to continuously improving services to citizens, residents, and visitors, improving the quality of life, facilitating business operations, enhancing competitiveness, and achieving top rankings in international indicators and classifications.

 Al-Dossary highlighted that the Cabinet commended the successful outcome of recent economic, cultural, and media conferences and events held in Riyadh, which consolidated Riyadh's position as a global hub for science, knowledge, investment, and innovation.

 This success underscores the Kingdom's remarkable progress and renaissance at all levels and in all aspects.

 The Cabinet tackled other items on its agenda and issued several decisions, among which the following:

 First:

 Authorizing the minister of interior, or a deputy, to discuss and sign drafts memoranda of understanding for cooperation in civil defense and civil protection with the governments of Tajikistan and Pakistan.

 Second:

 Approving a draft memorandum of understanding to establish the Saudi-Spanish Coordination Council, and authorizing the minister of foreign affairs to sign the draft and discuss with the Spanish side ways to unify existing cooperation mechanisms between Saudi Arabia and Spain in various fields.

 Third:

 Approving a memorandum of understanding for cooperation between the Ministry of Culture of Saudi Arabia and the National Council for Culture, Arts, and Letters of the State of Kuwait.

 Fourth:

 Authorizing the minister of environment, water and agriculture, or a deputy, to discuss and sign a draft memorandum of understanding in the field of water resources with the Ministry of Water Resources of Iraq.

 Fifth:

 Authorizing the minister of human resources and social development, or a deputy, to discuss and sign a draft framework cooperation agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the International Labour Organization concerning programs for junior technical staff and secondment.

 Sixth:

 Approving a memorandum of understanding between Umm Al-Qura University, the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

 Seventh:

 Authorizing the minister environment, water and agriculture, chairman of the board of directors of the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification, or a deputy, to discuss and sign with Gansu Desert Control Research Institute of the People's Republic of China a draft memorandum of understanding in the field of desertification.

 Eighth:

 Approving a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of Arabic language services between the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language and Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies.