Crown Prince chairs Cabinet session in Jeddah, approves 10 decisions

Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman chaired the Cabinet session held today in Jeddah.

At the start of the meeting, the Crown Prince briefed the Cabinet on the outcomes of his discussions with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, focusing on strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation with these countries across all fields.

Minister of Media Salman bin Yousef Al-Dosari stated to the Saudi Press Agency after the session that the Cabinet, after reviewing regional developments, condemned the recent attacks by the Houthi militia on civilian and economic sites in Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan, and Najran, as well as their continued targeting of commercial vessels in the Red Sea and threats to international maritime navigation. The Cabinet reaffirmed Saudi Arabia's commitment to defending its sovereignty, protecting citizens and residents, safeguarding national assets, and rejecting the hostile and criminal actions of the militia, which threaten the stability of Yemen and the broader Arab and Islamic region.

The Cabinet directed authorities to provide the highest level of medical care to those injured in these terrorist attacks, wishing them a speedy recovery and continued security and stability for the Kingdom.

The Cabinet expressed Saudi Arabia's support for joint Arab efforts to halt Israeli violations and attacks in Jerusalem and the occupied territories, and to confront expansionist policies, settlement activity, and displacement in violation of international law.

The Minister added that the Cabinet discussed the outcomes of Saudi Arabia's participation in regional and international meetings, reflecting the Kingdom's commitment to strengthening global engagement and multilateral cooperation to address global challenges and promote economic growth and stability.

The Cabinet welcomed the memorandum of understanding signed by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Germany to establish a strategic dialogue, aiming to enhance consultation, coordination, and bilateral cooperation.

The Cabinet reviewed reports on international conferences hosted by the Kingdom, highlighting the success of the 26th Scientific Forum for Hajj, Umrah, and Visit Research, which contributed to greater integration among relevant agencies, improved coordination and partnerships, and enhanced services for pilgrims based on scientific studies.

The Cabinet praised the achievements of the LEAP 2026 international technology conference, which saw the launch of initiatives, agreements, and investments worth nearly $15 billion in artificial intelligence infrastructure, data centers, cloud computing, tech manufacturing, venture capital, and national capacity development, reinforcing Saudi Arabia's position as a global hub for innovation and future industries.

The Cabinet considered the launch of new investment projects under the program to localize water industries and services as a strategic step, moving from importing and operating technologies to developing, manufacturing, and exporting them, leveraging operational expertise and unique infrastructure to build reliable supply chains and a competitive, expanding local industry.

The Cabinet reviewed its agenda, including topics studied in cooperation with the Shoura Council, and considered the recommendations of the Political and Security Affairs Council, the Economic and Development Affairs Council, the General Committee of the Cabinet, and the Bureau of Experts. The Cabinet approved the following:

First:

Approval of an agreement with Spain for mutual visa exemption for holders of diplomatic, special, and service passports.

Second:

Approval of an agreement with the Swiss Federal Council on the promotion and mutual protection of investments.

Third:

Authorizing the Governor of the Saudi Central Bank, or a delegate, to negotiate and sign a memorandum of understanding with Bank Indonesia for cooperation between the two central banks.

Fourth:

Approval of a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in Arabic language services between the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language and the Muslim World League.

Fifth:

Approval of amendments to several articles of the judiciary system relating to judicial ranks and appointment criteria.

Sixth:

Establishment of a special nature reserve named Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal Reserve under the Royal Commission for Riyadh City.

Seventh:

Appointment of Dr. Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al-Shureihi and Ali bin Abdullah Al-Lafi as members of the board of the Saudi Energy Efficiency Center.

Eighth:

Approval of the final accounts for the Jeddah Governorate Development Authority, the Social Development Bank, and Taibah University for the previous two fiscal years.

Ninth:

Issuing directives regarding several items on the Cabinet agenda, including annual reports from the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Supreme Committee for Hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup, the General Irrigation Corporation, and the Center for Support and Liquidation.

Tenth:

Approval of promotions to the 14th rank as follows:

- Sultan bin Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Jalawi Al Saud promoted to Business Consultant at the Ministry of Defense.

- Mu'id bin Abdullah Al-Zahrani promoted to Business Consultant at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.

- Turki bin Saad Al-Sharif promoted to Business Consultant at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.

- Saud bin Abdulrahman Al-Omairi promoted to Office Director at the Cabinet General Secretariat.

- Badr bin Abdulrahman Al-Rais promoted to Office Director at the Cabinet General Secretariat.