Cabinet approves commercial transactions law, 15 decisions issued

Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman chaired the Cabinet meeting held today in Riyadh.

At the start of the session, the Crown Prince briefed the Cabinet on messages received by King Salman and himself from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. He also shared details of his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and the outcomes of official talks with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, which underscored the strength of historic ties and the commitment to enhancing cooperation across various fields.

The Cabinet then discussed the outcomes of talks between the member states of the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement and senior Iranian officials, reiterating Saudi Arabia’s commitment to regional and international security and stability. The Cabinet highlighted the pivotal role of the Mecca Agreement countries in maintaining regional security, supported Qatar and Pakistan’s mediation efforts to de-escalate tensions, and backed all initiatives aimed at achieving peace.

Minister of Media Salman bin Yousuf Al-Dosari stated after the session that the Cabinet praised the high capabilities of Saudi air defense systems, which have repeatedly thwarted attempts by the Houthi militia to target Makkah, Madinah, and other Saudi cities and facilities. The Cabinet condemned these criminal attacks as a grave violation of Saudi sovereignty and the sanctity of Islamic holy sites, as well as an affront to Muslims worldwide. The Cabinet reaffirmed the Kingdom’s legitimate right to firmly defend the security of the holy sites, their visitors, citizens, and residents.

The Cabinet noted that the localization rate of military spending in Saudi Arabia is expected to reach 27.3% by the end of 2025, surpassing the annual target of 24%. Local content is set to increase to 40.9%, reflecting the strength of national capabilities and supporting ongoing cooperation between the public and private sectors. The Kingdom aims to localize more than 50% of total military spending by 2030.

The Cabinet reviewed several government performance indicators, highlighting progress in management, governance, and institutional excellence. It commended the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development for winning a global award from the International Project Management Association, outperforming 53 entities from 28 countries for its role in enhancing the effectiveness of initiatives and aligning them with national priorities.

The Cabinet considered items on its agenda, including those reviewed by the Shoura Council, and examined the findings 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 issued the following decisions:

First:

Approval of a model agreement between Saudi Arabia and other countries to exempt holders of diplomatic or special passports from entry visas, and authorizing the Minister of Foreign Affairs, or a delegate, to negotiate and sign such agreements based on the approved model.

Second:

Approval of a memorandum of understanding with Turkey in the municipal and housing sectors.

Third:

Approval of an agreement with India on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters.

Fourth:

Approval of a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing in Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Public Works and Housing in Syria in the municipal and housing sectors.

Fifth:

Approval of a memorandum of understanding between the Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission of Saudi Arabia and the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Authority of Jordan for cooperation in nuclear safety, security, and radiation protection.

Sixth:

Authorizing the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, as Chairman of the Digital Government Authority, or a delegate, to negotiate with South Korea on a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in digital government between the Authority and Korea’s Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

Seventh:

Approval of a cooperation agreement between the Presidency of State Security in Saudi Arabia and the National Security Intelligence of Bangladesh on combating terrorism and its financing.

Eighth:

Approval of the Commercial Transactions Law.

Ninth:

Approval of the organizational arrangements for the Royal Institute of Anthropology and Cultural Studies.

Tenth: Approval of the roles, responsibilities, and authorities of entities supervising, inspecting, and regulating amusement rides.

Eleventh:

Approval of the reformation of the National Water Company’s board of directors, chaired by Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadhli.

Twelfth:

Adding the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture to the committee investigating food poisoning incidents.

Thirteenth:

Approval of the final accounts for the Equestrian Authority, the Saudi Export-Import Bank, and the Social Development Bank for the past two fiscal years.

Fourteenth:

Issuing directives regarding several agenda items, including annual reports from the Hail Region Development Authority, the Equestrian Authority, the General Authority for Ports, the General Authority for Exhibitions and Conferences, Saudia, the General Authority for the Conservation of Coral Reefs and Turtles in the Red Sea, the King Abdulaziz Center for Purebred Arabian Horses, the National Center for Meteorology, the Non-Oil Revenue Center, and the National Center for Non-Profit Sector Development.

Fifteenth:

Approval of promotions to the fifteenth and fourteenth grades, and to the positions of ambassador and minister plenipotentiary, as follows:

— Abdullah bin Saad Al-Ghamdi promoted to Senior Business Advisor (Grade 15) at the Ministry of Energy.

— Abdulrahman bin Arkan Al-Dawood promoted to Ambassador at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

— Abdulaziz bin Ibrahim Al-Eid promoted to Senior Business Advisor (Grade 15) at the General Presidency for Scholarly Research and Ifta.

— Mufleh bin Ayish Al-Mutairi promoted to Business Advisor (Grade 14) at the Ministry of Finance.

— Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Bu Saba’a promoted to Director General (Grade 14) at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.

— The following promoted to Minister Plenipotentiary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

- Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Anzi.

- Alia bint Ali Al-Rashidan.

- Nayef bin Mohammed bin Safran.

- Fahd bin Mohammed bin Mneikher.