NEOM — The Council of Ministers virtual meeting, chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, prime minister, considered the start of commercial development work for Jafurah unconventional gas field in the Eastern Province, an essential element in achieving many of the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030.

The Cabinet reiterated that it is also a continuation of the government’s support, empowerment and assistance provided to the energy sector and its efforts in development and economic diversification. This is in addition to taking advantage of the Kingdom's comparative advantages, enhancing its leading position in the global energy market and its record in environmental protection and sustainability.

At the outset of the session, the Cabinet reviewed the content of the recent meetings that took place between Saudi Arabia and a number of countries with the aim of establishing cooperation and partnerships in various fields, contributing to achieving the good of humanity and meeting the desired aspirations for progress and prosperity.

The Cabinet in this regard lauded the content of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques' speech delivered during the Group of Strategic Vision “Russia-Islamic World” Meeting, held in Jeddah. The contents and visions of the King's speech demonstrated the Kingdom’s keenness and interest in strengthening international security and stability and intensifying means of dialogue and harmony between different civilizations and cultures.

This is in addition to Saudi Arabia’s honorable role in adopting the principles of moderation and coexistence as well as its commitment to continuing to support regional and international efforts in this field.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Minister of State, Cabinet's Member and Acting Minister of Media Dr. Essam Bin Saad Bin Saeed said that the Cabinet addressed the latest regional and international developments, reiterating Saudi Arabia’s condemnation of storming by the terrorist Houthi militia of the headquarters of the United States of America’s embassy in Sanaa, Yemen, and the detention of its staff.

Saudi Arabia stressed the importance for the international community to take a firm stance against the Houthi violations in Yemen as well as to implement all international agreements to reach a comprehensive political solution that secures the security and stability for Yemen and its people.

The Cabinet also expressed an aspiration that the outcomes of the Extraordinary Ministerial Meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), called for by Saudi Arabia, as the current chair of the Islamic Summit, to discuss the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan will contribute to finding appropriate mechanisms and ways to deliver aid to the Afghan people in coordination with the United Nations, whereas the Kingdom hopes this will also serve as an opportunity to demonstrate a collective stance on key principles.

This includes the importance of taking steps to ensure Afghanistan's security and stability and preserve its sovereignty and territorial integrity, free from external interference, while rejecting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. This meeting should also urge the interim government in Afghanistan to be more inclusive, abide by international norms and conventions and respect human rights.

The Cabinet expressed satisfaction with the gradual recovery of Saudi Arabia’s economy since the middle of last year, as it witnesses a stronger recovery this year. Saudi Arabia also reports positive growth rates in its various sectors, thanks to the policies and measures taken by the government to address the Coronavirus pandemic and limit its humanitarian, financial and economic repercussions.

In this regard, the Cabinet also followed the developments of the pandemic and the continuous evaluation of the preventive measures taken to preserve public health in Saudi Arabia, in light of the developments in the epidemiological situation globally, the emergence of a mutated strain of the virus in a number of countries and monitoring the movement of infected people to other countries.

The Cabinet was briefed on a number of issues on its agenda. It authorized the minister of energy to hold talks with the French side on a draft cooperation agreement between the government of Saudi Arabia and the French government in the energy field and signing it

It approved a headquarters agreement between the government of Saudi Arabia and International Air Transport Association (IATA) on organizing the Association’s office.

It also approved a memorandum of understanding on political consultations between the Foreign Ministry and the Foreign Ministry of Vietnam and approved the accession of Saudi Arabia to the Global Methane Pledge.

The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Communications and Information Technology to hold talks with the French side on a draft memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Secretariat for the Digital Transition and Electronic Communications in France in the field of digital innovation and merging technologies.

It authorized the supervisor general of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center to hold talks with the British side on a draft memorandum of understanding on cooperation in humanitarian aid between King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center in the Kingdom and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in the UK.

The Cabinet approved the organizational arrangements for the Saudi Red Sea Authority. It also approved the establishment of a “public organization for the conservation of coral reefs and turtles in the Red Sea”, according to its organizational arrangements.

The Cabinet also called on implementing the decisions of the Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council for Arab States in its 41st Session regarding the accreditation of a law (bylaw) on preventive measures against contagious animal and epidemic diseases, a unified law (bylaw) for the conservation, development and utilization of marine living resources, and a unified law (bylaw) on organic inputs and productions and adopting them as guidelines for two years. — SPA