Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet session held today in Riyadh.
The Cabinet reviewed recent discussions and communications between His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and leaders of brotherly and 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 brotherly countries across all sectors and resulted in the signing of agreements and memoranda of understanding to expand cooperation, particularly in development fields.
In a statment to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary stated that the Cabinet lauded the high-speed electric train project linking the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Qatar, which will support transportation, boost tourism and economic activity, and become one of the region’s most prominent development initiatives, contributing to Gulf integration and connectivity through a state-of-the-art railway network.
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 the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to strengthen joint Gulf action.
Furthermore, the Cabinet welcomed the decision by the United States of America to lift sanctions imposed on the Syrian Arab Republic, praising the positive role of President Donald Trump in this regard, from his announcement during his visit to the Kingdom to the signing of the law repealing the Caesar Act.
The minister of media stated 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.
Furthermore, the Cabinet 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 pointed out 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 the Syrian Arab Republic 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 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 with the Uzbek side a draft agreement on extradition of wanted persons.
Second:
Authorizing the minister of foreign affairs, or a deputy, to discuss and sign with the Spanish side a draft memorandum of understanding for the establishment of a Saudi-Spanish Strategic Partnership Council.
Third:
Authorizing the minister of culture and chairman of the board of trustees of the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, or a deputy, to discuss and sign with the Muslim World League a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in promoting the Arabic language.
Fourth:
Approving a draft memorandum of cooperation on legal and judicial affairs between the Saudi Ministry of Justice and the Japanese Ministry of Justice.
Fifth:
Authorizing the minister of transport and logistic services and chairman of the board of directors of the Saudi Ports Authority, or a deputy, to discuss and sign with the Singaporean side a draft memorandum of understanding on green and digital shipping between the authority and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.
Sixth:
Authorizing the chairman of the board of directors of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, or a 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.
Seventh:
Approving a draft memorandum of understanding 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.
Eighth:
Authorizing the president of the General Court of Audit (GCA), or a deputy, to discuss and sign a draft memorandum of understanding on cooperation in accounting, auditing, and professional work with the State Audit Office of the Republic of North Macedonia.
Ninth:
Approving a draft memorandum of understanding on cooperation in accounting, auditing, and professional work between GCA and the State Control Committee of the Republic of Belarus.
