RIYADH — The Council of Ministers, chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh Tuesday appreciated the countries and organizations that were forthright in the condemnation of the cowardly attack that targeted an oil refinery in Riyadh.

The Cabinet, while reviewing a number of reports on the latest developments, expressed their support of the measures taken by Saudi Arabia to protect its national capabilities and gains in a way that preserves the security of global energy.

The Cabinet also reiterated that these terrorist and sabotage acts, repeatedly committed against vital installations and civilian objects, do not target Saudi Arabia alone, but more broadly the security and stability of energy supply, and thus negatively affecting the global economy.

The Cabinet called on all nations and organizations of the world to stand together against such acts of sabotage and terrorism, and to stop all groups carrying out or supporting these attacks.

The Cabinet too expressed Saudi Arabia’s condemnation of the missile attack that targeted the city of Irbil in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, affirming Saudi Arabia’s stand by the Republic of Iraq in its measures to protect its security and stability and rejecting all forms of violence, extremism and terrorism.

At the outset of the session, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques briefed the Cabinet on the outcomes of talks held with Egypt President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, as they reviewed the deep-rooted historical relations and ways to develop them in all fields to realize the interests of the two countries and peoples, reiterating their united position towards regional and international issues and developments.

The Cabinet also addressed the recent talks that took place between officials in Saudi Arabia and their counterparts in a number of countries with the aim of strengthening cooperation and joint action at different levels.

This includes the outcomes of the meetings of the Saudi-Kenyan Joint Committee, the signed memorandum of understanding on political consultations, and the Saudi-Greek Investment Forum that highlighted the investment potential and available opportunities in the two countries.

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 the Cabinet reviewed the outcomes of the meetings of the Strategic Partnership Working Group between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for Arab States and the US.

In the meetings they announced developing a common defense vision in the region to deter air, missile and naval threats, and condemned Iran's subversive behavior and its support for terrorist organizations and groups with ballistic missiles and drones.

At local level, the Cabinet applauded the Crown Prince’s launch of National Development Fund (NDF) Strategy, which aims at supporting the sustainable development of the economic sectors in Saudi Arabia in realization of objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.

This will work on stimulating a threefold increase in the private sector's development impact and contributing to Saudi Arabia's real GDP growth by injecting more than SR570 billion by 2030. Additionally, NDF targets to achieve more than a threefold increase of non-oil GDP to reach SR605 billion, in addition to generating many job opportunities in the Kingdom by 2030.

The Cabinet commended the outcomes of the World Defense Show 2022, held in Riyadh, including the local and international agreements to support cooperation and innovation, build qualitative partnerships in the defense and security industries, and contribute to achieving one of the goals of the Saudi Vision 2030 aiming to localize more than 50% of government spending on military equipment and services by 2030.

The Cabinet, when reviewing the recommendations of 21st Scientific Forum for Hajj, Umrah and Visit Research, stressed Saudi Arabia’s pride in serving the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors, and its efforts in harnessing all possibilities to serve visitors, as this includes issues related to digital transformation for the services provided to the Two Holy Mosques' visitors.

The Cabinet considered Saudi Arabia’s election as president of the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons as a part of the continuous achievements it has achieved in the field of work in international organizations, and also a reflection of its pivotal role and efforts in dealing with the data of international events in this field.

The Cabinet approved a memorandum of understanding for technical cooperation between the Ministry of Interior and the United Nations. It authorized the minister of tourism to hold talks with the Barbadian side on a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the tourist field between the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Tourism and International Transport in Barbados.

It authorized the minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance to hold talks with the Uzbekistani side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance and the Committee of Islamic Affairs affiliated with the Cabinet of Uzbekistan in the field of Islamic Affairs.

It authorized the minister of environment, water and agriculture, chairman of the Saline Water Conversion Corporation to hold talks with the Indian side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding between the Saline Water Conversion Corporation and the National Institute of Ocean Technology in India on water desalination.

It authorized the minister of health to hold talks with the Bahraini side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Health in Bahrain on cooperation in health fields.

It approved a resolution by the Arab League, amending Paragraph (1) of Item (45) of the Arab Charter on Human Rights related to establishing a committee named the Committee of the Arab Charter on Human Rights. — SPA