برئاسة ولي العهد.. مجلس الوزراء: الموافقة على نظام التعاونيات

The Crown Prince, Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, chaired the session held by the Council of Ministers today in Jeddah.

At the beginning of the session, the Council of Ministers reviewed the contents of the consultations and discussions that took place in the past few days between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and brotherly and friendly countries, including the message received by the Crown Prince, Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud from the Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Tariq Rahman.

The Council commended the outcomes of the first meeting of the Political Defense Strategic Committee of the Mecca Agreement for joint defense between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Turkey, and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, which included an agreement to take further institutional executive steps to establish a General Secretariat based in the Kingdom, and to activate paths for joint cooperation; enhancing coordination and integration, ensuring the effectiveness of deterrence and collective defense, and contributing to supporting international security and regional efforts aimed at achieving just, comprehensive, and lasting peace.

On the local front, the Council of Ministers approved the Cooperative Societies System.

Continuing Support for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation

The Minister of Information, Salman bin Yusuf Al-Dosari, explained in his statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session that the Council confirmed, after reviewing the outcomes of the 23rd extraordinary session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the continued support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for every effort that enhances the organization's contribution to serving the issues of the Islamic world and achieving the aspirations of its peoples for stability and peace, expressing in this context his congratulations to Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed on his election as Secretary-General, and his appreciation for the efforts of the former Secretary-General, Hussein Ibrahim Taha, during his tenure.

Approval of 21 Healthy Saudi Cities by the World Health Organization

The Council of Ministers addressed the active role of the Kingdom in regional and global organizations, praising in this context the national efforts that contributed to establishing the Kingdom's leadership regionally with 21 healthy cities accredited by the World Health Organization; transforming the standards of those cities into institutional and developmental practices that prioritize human beings and the quality of life as a main focus of sustainable development.

Saudi Arabia as Chair of the Executive Council of the Arab Organization for Administrative Development

The Council appreciated the national afforestation program receiving the United Nations Award for Global Leading Models for Land Restoration; embodying this achievement its leadership in the environmental field and its efforts in developing vegetation cover, restoring degraded lands, protecting ecosystems, and enhancing biodiversity.

The Council considered the re-election of the Kingdom as Chair of the Executive Council of the Arab Organization for Administrative Development as a confirmation of its leadership in supporting Arab joint action and its continuous contributions to developing human resources and improving the quality of services provided to member states; in line with the desired goals and aspirations.

Decisions:

The Council of Ministers reviewed the topics listed on its agenda, including topics studied by the Shura Council, and also reviewed the conclusions reached by both the Council of Political and Security Affairs and the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, as well as the General Committee of the Council of Ministers and the Experts Authority at the Council of Ministers regarding them. The Council concluded with the following:

- Approval of an agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Hellenic Republic regarding the exemption from visa requirements for holders of diplomatic, special, and service passports.

- Authorizing the Minister of Finance, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority - or his representative - to sign a draft agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Argentine Republic to avoid double taxation concerning income and capital taxes and to prevent tax evasion and avoidance.

- Approval of a memorandum of understanding in the fields of municipal and housing sectors between the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Local Administration and Environment in the Syrian Arab Republic.

- Approval of a memorandum of understanding between the Authority for the Care of Persons with Disabilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the National Agency for Persons with Disabilities in the Republic of Djibouti in the field of caring for persons with disabilities.

- Authorizing the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Insurance Authority - or his representative - to negotiate with the Guernsey side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding between the Authority and the Guernsey Financial Services Commission for cooperation in the field of training and preparing competencies, and to sign it.

- Approval of a memorandum of understanding between the King Fahd National Library and the National Library of Poland.

- Approval of the Cooperative Societies System.

- Approval for the twelfth day of May each year to be designated as Organ Donation Day.

- Adoption of the final accounts for the universities of: (Qassim, Al-Jouf, and Hail) for the previous two financial years.

- Directing necessary actions regarding several topics listed on the Council of Ministers' agenda, including annual reports for the General Authority for Defense Development, the Authority for the Care of Persons with Disabilities, the Alimony Fund, and the Saudi Center for Economic Affairs (formerly).

- Approval of the appointment of Dr. Shaher bin Ahmed Al-Oufi to the position of (Deputy Emir of the Region) at the rank of (fifteenth) in the Emirate of Medina.