Crown Prince chairs Cabinet session in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is also Prime Minister, chaired the Cabinet session held in Riyadh today, Feb. 18, the state-run SPA reported.

At the outset of the session, the Crown Prince briefed the Cabinet on his recent talks with French President Emmanuel Macron and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. They discussed bilateral relations, ways to boost ties in various sectors, and regional and international developments.

The Cabinet reiterated the Kingdom's welcoming of the talks between Russia and the US in Riyadh, reflecting commitment to global peace and security.

During the session, Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary said the Cabinet reviewed the government's recent activities, particularly those focused on strengthening bilateral relations with brotherly and friendly nations.

It also discussed the outcomes of Saudi Arabia’s participation in regional and international meetings, reflecting the Kingdom’s interest in collective efforts and expanding cooperation scope to achieve the desired aspirations and objectives.

The Cabinet also reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s emphasis, as expressed during the 42nd Arab Interior Ministers Council, on the need to strengthen security cooperation, integrate and coordinate efforts to combat all forms of crime, monitor related developments, and develop a comprehensive security strategy to address shared threats and challenges.

Further, Cabinet members stressed that the Kingdom's presidency of GlobE Network reflected the international community's confidence in its ability to drive a major shift in consolidating cooperation among member states, enhance policies, and develop the necessary tools to effectively combat corruption crimes.

The Cabinet welcomed the Jeddah Declaration issued by the 13th Conference of Ministers of Culture in the Islamic World. The declaration outlined a shared vision for leveraging culture to drive social and economic progress, safeguard Islamic heritage, and foster collaborative efforts to address global challenges.

On the occasion of Founding Day, which falls on Feb. 22, the Cabinet expressed its pride in the history of Saudi Arabia, its deep-rooted heritage, and its three-century-long civilization. Members commended the nation's achievements in fostering unity, justice, and continuous progress and development.

Al-Dossary stated that the Cabinet deemed Saudi Arabia’s prominent position among the top 10 global markets for battery energy storage, coinciding with the start of operations at the 2,000-MWh Bisha project, as a testament to the transformation underway within the energy sector, further solidifying the Kingdom's leadership in energy production and export.

The Cabinet acknowledged the success of the fourth LEAP25 conference, which was held in Riyadh under the theme "Into New Worlds" and featured the announcement of over $14.9 billion in investments and launches. The event sought to foster innovation in digital and technological infrastructure, support research and development, advancing artificial intelligence, and promoting cloud computing.

The Cabinet commended the opening of the regional headquarters (HQs) of 600 international companies within the Kingdom, underscoring the global recognition of Saudi Arabia's economic stability, promising growth trajectory, and strategic geographic location, further bolstered by the presence of exceptional talent and cadres.

The Cabinet addressed some other agenda items and issued several decisions, among which the following:

First:

Approving a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the energy field between the Saudi Ministry of Energy and the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.

Second:

Approving a MoU for sports cooperation between the Saudi Ministry of Sport and the Maldivian Ministry of Sports, Fitness and Recreation.

Third:

Approving a security cooperation agreement between Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Republic of Guinea.

Fourth:

Approving a general cooperation agreement between the Saudi Government and the Government of the Republic of Moldova.

Fifth:

Approving a MoU on political advisory between the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Rwandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Sixth:

Authorizing Minister of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD), or a deputy, to discuss and sign with the Moroccan side a draft MoU between the Saudi HRSD Ministry and the Moroccan Ministry of Solidarity, Social Integration and Family for cooperation in the field of social development.

Seventh:

Approving a MoU for cooperation in the field of tourism between the Saudi Ministry of Tourism and the Georgian Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development.

Eighth:

Approving an agreement between the Saudi Government and the Government of the Republic of Belarus in the field of air transport services.

Ninth:

Authorizing Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Chairman of the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC), or a deputy, to discuss and sign with the Moroccan side a draft MoU between NCVC and the Moroccan National Agency for Water and Forests in the field of natural vegetation cover development and combating desertification.

Tenth:

Approving the Land Transport Law.

Eleventh:

Approving the final accounts of the Roads General Authority, King Salman International Complex for Arabic Language, and the National Program for Social Development.