The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Chairs Cabinet Session in Jeddah

 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet session held today in Jeddah.
 The Cabinet reviewed the progress of preparations for the 1447 AH Hajj season and the achievements of the Pilgrim Experience Program, including ongoing coordination and integration among government entities, as well as efforts to enhance services provided to pilgrims through the deployment of human, technological, and organizational resources across Makkah, Madinah, and the holy sites, contributing to greater operational readiness and ensuring the highest levels of comfort and care for pilgrims arriving from within the Kingdom and abroad.
 The Cabinet commended the efforts of the Ministry of Interior and other government agencies, along with the follow-up of the Supreme Hajj Committee, in facilitating the arrival of pilgrims to the Grand Mosque from their countries through the continued implementation of the Makkah Route Initiative for the eighth consecutive year, which has benefited more than 1.2 million pilgrims to date, and has expanded to 10 countries and 17 international entry points, reflecting the Kingdom’s commitment to enhancing the quality of services provided to pilgrims.
 The Cabinet was also briefed on the two phone calls of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, with President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, during which they discussed areas of cooperation and addressed regional and international developments aimed at strengthening security and stability in the region.
 In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary stated that the Cabinet reaffirmed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's full commitment to taking all necessary measures to protect its security, preserve its stability, and ensure the safety of its citizens and residents. The Cabinet also praised the advanced capabilities of the armed forces in defending the homeland and safeguarding its assets and resources.
 The Cabinet further expressed its support for the outcomes of the emergency meeting of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) interior ministers held in Riyadh, which affirmed that Gulf security is indivisible and stressed the importance of strengthening coordination to address current challenges and developments in the region.
 The Cabinet affirmed that the establishment of the Saudi-Spanish Strategic Partnership Council represents an important step toward elevating bilateral relations and expanding cooperation horizons in promising economic and investment sectors through joint initiatives and projects with tangible outcomes.
 On the domestic front, the Cabinet considered the completion of operations at the main stations of the Riyadh Metro project as an extension of the accelerating progress witnessed by the public transport ecosystem in the capital, and an embodiment of the development of an integrated urban infrastructure that contributes to improving quality of life, diversifying modes of transportation, and enhancing reliance on public transport in line with Saudi Vision 2030 targets.
 The Cabinet commended Saudi students for winning 24 awards at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2026, marking another milestone that reflects the Kingdom's regional and global leadership in innovation and scientific excellence.
 The Cabinet addressed other items on its agenda and issued several decisions, including the following:
 First:
 Authorizing the minister of interior, or a deputy, to discuss and sign a draft memorandum of understanding on cooperation in civil defense and civil protection between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of Malaysia.
 Second:
 Approving a memorandum of understanding on export development between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the State of Kuwait.
 Third:
 Authorizing the minister of culture and chairman of the board of directors of the Museums Commission, or a deputy, to discuss and sign a draft memorandum of understanding on cooperation in museums between the commission and the National Foundation of Museums in the Kingdom of Morocco.
 Fourth:
 Authorizing the minister of culture and chairman of the board of trustees of the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language (KSGAAL), or a deputy, to discuss and sign a draft memorandum of understanding on cooperation in Arabic language between KSGAAL and the Tunisian Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts.
 Fifth:
 Authorizing the minister of finance and chairman of the board of directors of the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, or a deputy, to sign two draft agreements between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the governments of the Republic of Djibouti and the Republic of India on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters.
 Sixth:
 Approving the implementation of the decision of the GCC Supreme Council, issued at its 46th session held in Bahrain, adopting the general agreement for connecting the GCC states with the GCC Railway Project.
 Seventh:
 Approving a memorandum of understanding on legal and judicial cooperation between the Saudi and Thai ministries of justice.
 Eighth:
 Approving a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in civil aviation between the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation and the Civil Aviation Authority of Djibouti.
 Ninth:
 Approving a cooperation agreement between the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property and the World Intellectual Property Organization to improve business services in intellectual property offices.