Cabinet approves consumer protection law, waives import fees for students abroad

Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman chaired the Cabinet session held on Tuesday in Riyadh.

At the start of the meeting, the Crown Prince briefed the Cabinet on the outcomes of his discussions with the King of Bahrain and the President of Syria, as well as the contents of a message received from the President of Sierra Leone. He also discussed recent phone calls with the Prime Ministers of Canada and Greece, during which bilateral relations and ways to enhance cooperation were reviewed, along with reaffirming continued coordination on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

The Cabinet reiterated Saudi Arabia's support for efforts to achieve regional and international security and stability, and to combat terrorism and its militias. The Cabinet stressed the need for an immediate halt to all actions threatening maritime security in the Red Sea and the Bab Al-Mandab and Hormuz straits.

Minister of Media Salman bin Yousef Al-Dosari stated to the Saudi Press Agency after the session that the Cabinet welcomed the signing of the general agreement to link Gulf Cooperation Council countries by rail, emphasizing the pursuit of strategic cooperation, economic integration, and the implementation of the King’s vision to strengthen joint Gulf action.

On domestic matters, the Cabinet praised the speech delivered by King Salman at the opening of the Sixth Hajj and Umrah Conference and Exhibition, highlighting the Kingdom’s efforts to serve the Two Holy Mosques, develop the Hajj system, and launch agreements and partnerships to facilitate pilgrims’ journeys.

The Cabinet reviewed the overall performance of national sectors, commending government entities for receiving international and regional awards in health, infrastructure, digital government, and innovation, reflecting state support for achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

The Cabinet issued several decisions, including:

First: Approval of the Consumer Protection Law.

Second: The state will cover customs duties and value-added tax on vehicle imports for Saudi students on scholarships abroad, government employees posted overseas, and their dependents, with exemption from related fees, according to regulations set by the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority.

Third: Approval of a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Energy and South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy for cooperation in oil and gas.

Fourth: Approval of a mutual visa exemption agreement for holders of diplomatic and special passports with Portugal.

Fifth: Approval of a memorandum of understanding for railway cooperation with Turkey.

Sixth: Authorizing the Minister of Investment to sign an agreement with Bangladesh on mutual investment promotion and protection.

Seventh: Authorizing the Minister of Communications and Information Technology to negotiate and sign an agreement with Jordan and Syria on cooperation in communications and digital infrastructure.

Eighth: Authorizing the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development to negotiate and sign a memorandum of understanding with Jordan on workforce skills development.

Ninth: Authorizing the Minister of Transport and Logistics Services to negotiate and sign a memorandum of understanding with Cyprus on maritime affairs.

Tenth: Approval of a draft memorandum of understanding in Islamic affairs with the Islamic Association in Burundi, and authorizing the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance to sign it.

Eleventh: Authorizing the President of the Human Rights Commission to negotiate and sign a memorandum of understanding with the Digital Cooperation Organization on technical cooperation.

Twelfth: Appointment of Dr. Ahmed bin Imad Saman and Dr. Lina bint Samir Ayouni as members of the board of the National Center for Meteorology.

Thirteenth: Approval of the final accounts of the Saudi Fund for Development, the Real Estate Development Fund, and the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language for previous fiscal years.

Fourteenth: Approval of appointments and promotions at the fifteenth rank, as follows:

- Appointment of Dr. Naif bin Nasser bin Labdah as Deputy Governor of Jazan Province at the fifteenth rank.

- Promotion of Ali bin Mohammed Al-Shahrani to Senior Business Advisor at the Ministry of Finance at the fifteenth rank.

The Cabinet also reviewed several general topics on its agenda, including annual reports from government agencies and national centers, and took necessary actions regarding them.