مجلس الوزراء: إلحاق مرافقي المبتعثين والموظفين في الخارج بالبعثات التعليمية

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chaired the session held by the Council of Ministers today (Tuesday) in Riyadh. The council reviewed the content of the message received by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques from the Emir of the sisterly State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the details of the reception of the Crown Prince, Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, for the Prime Minister of the sisterly Republic of Iraq, Ali Faleh Al-Zaydi.

Supply Chains and Navigation Require International Cooperation

The Minister of Media, Salman Al-Dosari, clarified after the session that the Council of Ministers followed up on the developments in the regional and international arenas and the efforts made by the Kingdom through communication and consultation with sisterly and friendly countries to enhance the stability of the region and mitigate the repercussions of conflicts and tensions on global energy security, international trade, and the sustainability of supply chains and navigation; all of which are shared responsibilities that require international cooperation to prevent the global economy from facing risks that affect the entire world.

Welcoming the Security Council's Condemnation of Houthi Attacks

The council welcomed the presidential statement issued by the members of the United Nations Security Council, which included condemnation of the terrorist Houthi militia's attacks on civilian targets, airports, and energy infrastructure in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as the ongoing threats to navigation in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab. It emphasized the importance of the full implementation of Security Council Resolution No. (2216) and subsequent resolutions, and called for practical cooperation to prevent that terrorist group from obtaining weapons and other forms of support.

Continuation of the Agricultural Rural Development Program until 2032

The council decided to allow the educational mission for undergraduate and master's studies to include the spouse and children of each of: the envoy working abroad, the seconded employee, and the scholarship student; according to a number of regulations. It also approved the continuation of the sustainable agricultural rural development program until the end of 2032, and agreed on the patent system and utility models, the new plant varieties system, and the integrated circuit design system, as well as adopting the design system.

Appreciation for the Establishment of the Cybersecurity Ministers Council

The Council of Ministers appreciated the decision of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to establish the "Cybersecurity Ministers Council for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation" and to choose Riyadh as the headquarters for its General Secretariat and Executive Office; based on a proposal submitted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as part of its efforts to enhance the stability of cyberspace, host regional and international entities related to cybersecurity, and its track record of successes in supporting strategic initiatives in this field.

The Attractiveness of the Saudi Economy and Its Future Prospects

The Council of Ministers discussed the outcomes of the Kingdom hosting several international conferences, praising in this context the recommendations issued by the Riyadh Economic Forum that will contribute to serving the national economy system and enhancing economic policies and trends, and consolidating the integrative partnership between the public and private sectors; in line with the desired targets and comprehensive developmental transformations.

The council considered the registration of foreign direct investments in the Kingdom to grow by (33.5%) in 2025 compared to 2024; affirming the attractiveness of the Saudi economy, its wide future prospects, and the effectiveness of the economic and structural reforms implemented in recent years within the framework of (Saudi Vision 2030).

Decisions

The Council of Ministers reviewed the topics listed on its agenda, including topics that the Shura Council participated in studying, and also reviewed the conclusions reached by both the Council of Political and Security Affairs, and the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, the General Committee of the Council of Ministers, and the Experts Committee of the Council of Ministers regarding them. The council concluded with:

- Approval of the headquarters agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research to open an office affiliated with the institute in the Kingdom, and a memorandum of understanding in the field of cybersecurity between the National Cybersecurity Authority in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the office of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research.

- Authorizing the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority - or his representative - to negotiate with the Australian side regarding two draft memoranda of understanding between the authority and the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, and the Australian Office of Safeguards and Non-Proliferation; to exchange information in the fields of nuclear safety and radiation protection, nuclear security, and nuclear non-proliferation, and to sign them.

- Authorizing the Minister of Tourism - or his representative - to negotiate with the Syrian side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of tourism between the Ministry of Tourism in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Tourism in the Syrian Arab Republic, and to sign it.

- Approval of a memorandum of understanding between the Financial Intelligence Unit of the State Security Presidency in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Nations, represented by its Office on Drugs and Crime.

- Approval of a memorandum of understanding between the Saudi Food and Drug Authority and the Government Institute for Pharmaceutical Products in the Russian Federation.

- Adoption of the final accounts for the universities of: (Al-Baha, and Hafr Al-Batin), and the King Fahd National Library, for the previous two financial years.

- Directing what is necessary regarding a number of topics listed on the agenda of the Council of Ministers, including annual reports for the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the General Authority for Foreign Trade, the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization, the Saudi Geological Survey, the Saudi Space Agency, the Saudi Press Agency, the Saudi Post Corporation, the National Debt Management Center, the National Center for Performance Measurement of Public Agencies, and the King Abdulaziz Foundation.

- Approval of the promotion of the following individuals to the position of (Minister Plenipotentiary) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

- Badr bin Abdulaziz Al-Mufirij.

- Nabil bin Ahmed Al-Zahrani.

- Yahya bin Ahmed Akish.