برئاسة ولي العهد.. مجلس الوزراء: رفض استخدام الممرات الحيوية أداة للضغط أو التهديد

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

At the beginning of the session, the Crown Prince briefed the Council of Ministers on the contents of his phone calls with the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council in the Republic of Sudan, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. He also discussed the essence of his meeting with the Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, Deputy Prime Minister, and Head of the Presidential Court, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as well as the discussions that took place regarding the relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and their brotherly and friendly countries, and ways to support and develop these relations in various fields. Additionally, they addressed the latest developments in the region and the efforts made to enhance security and stability both regionally and internationally.

Minister of Media Salman bin Yusuf Al-Dosari stated in his statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session that the Council of Ministers discussed the results of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's participation in the high-level week of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, praising in this context the national efforts and their role in this global event, led by multilateral work systems and their support at various levels; serving international peace and security, reinforcing the approach of dialogue and diplomacy, and contributing to addressing global crises and challenges and enhancing the response to humanitarian needs.

Financial Support for the United Nations to Combat Terrorism

The Council considered the Kingdom's provision of financial support for the programs of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism; continuing its efforts to combat this scourge in all its forms and manifestations, and affirming the importance of the office and its active contribution to building the capacities of states, unifying global efforts, and strengthening international cooperation in this field.

The Council noted the progress made in establishing the General Secretariat of the Mecca Agreement for Joint Defense and the formation of the committees and working groups emanating from it, as well as the steps taken in the meetings of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Chiefs of General Staff of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and the Republic of Turkey; to move forward in supporting coordination and integration among the three countries and to begin embodying the commitments of the agreement in military cooperation that enhances collective deterrence and defense.

Ensuring the Protection of Freedom of Navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb

The Council of Ministers followed the developments of political issues on both the regional and international fronts, expressing its welcome of the statement issued by the members of the United Nations Security Council condemning the continued attacks by the Houthi terrorist militia on the Kingdom and commercial ships, threatening the security of navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and undermining efforts aimed at achieving peace in Yemen.

The Council emphasized the importance of ensuring the protection of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden, and returning the situation in the Strait of Hormuz to what it was before February 28, without imposing any fees or restrictions, and rejecting the use of these vital passages as a tool for pressure or threats or harming the interests of countries; in line with international law and relevant UN resolutions.

Strong Condemnation of the Violation of Al-Aqsa Mosque's Sanctity

The Council strongly condemned the continued attacks by Israeli occupation authorities and extremist settlers on the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque and its religious and historical significance, and the ongoing expansionist attempts to infringe upon the legitimate rights of the brotherly Palestinian people, reiterating that just and lasting peace can only be achieved through the implementation of the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

International Praise for the Leadership of the Saudi Model for Quality Education

The Council of Ministers reviewed a number of reports on domestic issues, appreciating the continuous international praise for the leadership of the "Saudi Model for Quality Education and Training" in building an integrated system of programs, tools, standards, and a wide base of data and information; contributing to ensuring the adequacy of educational outputs and preparing national cadres that compete globally and establishing a culture of excellence and innovation; in alignment with the objectives of the Human Capacity Development Program and (Saudi Vision 2030).

Decisions:

The Council reviewed the topics listed on its agenda, including topics that the Shura Council participated in studying, and it reviewed the conclusions reached by both the Political and Security Affairs Council and the Economic and Development Affairs Council, 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 Republic of Turkey regarding the mutual exemption from visa requirements for holders of diplomatic and special passports.

- Authorizing the Minister of Culture - or his representative - to negotiate with the American side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the cultural field between the Ministry of Culture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Smithsonian Institution in the United States of America, and to sign it.

- Authorizing the Minister of Health - or his representative - to negotiate with the Djiboutian side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Health in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Health in the Republic of Djibouti for cooperation in health fields, and to sign it.

- Approval of a memorandum of understanding between the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Central Authority for Monitoring and Inspection in the Syrian Arab Republic in the field of preventing and combating corruption.

- Continuation of the membership duration of the members of the Supreme Judicial Council, the Administrative Judiciary Council, the Public Prosecution Council, and the Criminal Investigation and Prosecution Unit in the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority until successors are appointed, and amending the relevant regulations.

- Approval of the governance of studying requests for the transformation of government agencies in accordance with the rules and arrangements for how to treat employees and workers in the sectors targeted for transformation and privatization.

- Mosques and their facilities shall be considered public facilities to which the Public Facilities Protection System applies, until the project of the Endowments System comes into effect.

- Authorizing the Minister of Finance, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority, to approve the lists of prohibited and restricted goods and goods of a special nature issued by decisions of approval within the framework of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

- Approval of the final account of King Faisal University for a previous financial year.

- Directing what is necessary regarding a number of topics listed on the agenda of the Council of Ministers, including annual reports for the General Authority for Endowments, the Saudi Red Sea Authority, the National Center for Waste Management, the Center for Supporting Development Authorities and Strategic Offices, and King Abdulaziz University.

- Approval of the promotion of Talal bin Abdullah Al-Ghamdi to the position of (Office Manager) at the rank of (14th) at the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, and the promotion of Abdulilah bin Khashman Al-Absi to the position of (Financial Consultant) at the rank of (14th) at the Ministry of Finance.