The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Prime Minister, chaired the Cabinet's virtual session today. At the outset of the session, the Cabinet welcomed the Kingdom's hosting of the Saudi Green Initiative Forum and Middle East Green Initiative Summit next October. The Summit and Forum emanate from Saudi Arabia's pioneering roles in facing climate crises, supporting the international community's efforts to address the main environmental challenges and determination to make a global impact on facing climate change, protecting earth and nature, and contributing to achieving global goals. This comes to push the wheel of combating climate-related crises in a coordinated manner, regionally and internationally. In this context, the Cabinet said that the Public Investment Fund's announcement of the intention to establish the voluntary exchange platform for carbon credits within the Middle East and North Africa Region reflects a part of Saudi Arabia's efforts in the region to face climate change challenges and motivate institutions to reduce their carbon emissions. It also comes as an extension of Saudi endeavors to contribute to improving the environment and reducing the negative effects of urban development. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Acting Minister of Media Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi disclosed that the Cabinet reviewed recent talks and meetings between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and a number of countries that aim at enhancing relations and consolidating cooperation in all fields, in a way that contributes to achieving more coordination towards international issues. The Cabinet commended the steps taken to strengthen cooperation between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Iraq, within the framework the Coordinating Council to consolidate relations at the strategic level and open new horizons in various fields. This is in addition to achieving everything that would contribute to maintaining international security and peace, in light of the region's global and regional challenges and changes. The Cabinet reviewed Saudi Arabia's keenness to enhance its role in regional and international organizations to support the growth of global economy and achieve sustainable development. This was reviewed while addressing the results of the 20th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting, and the Kingdom's significant contribution to efforts addressing the Coronavirus pandemic and its effects on Islamic countries and peoples, as this was highlighted in the annual meetings of the Islamic Development Bank Group held in Tashkent. The Cabinet stressed that classifying the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia second globally among the G20 countries in the Digital Competitiveness Report 2021 issued by the European Center for Digital Competitiveness is the result of the government's support and empowerment to the communications and information technology sector over the past years. It also reflects the qualitative leaps that Saudi Arabia achieved at the level of telecommunications infrastructure, regulations and legislation, digital capabilities development, and mega projects in this field. The Cabinet reviewed a number developments, stressing that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will take the necessary measures to protect its lands and gains and the safety of its citizens and residents, and to stop the hostilities by the Iran-backed Houthi militia and its violations of international laws and customary rules. The Cabinet commended in this regard the efficiency of the Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces, and the forces of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen that confronted and thwarted those acts that deliberately and systematically target civilians and civilian objects. The Cabinet was briefed on a number of issues on its agenda, and issued the following decisions: First: The Cabinet approved the accession of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to a cooperative agreement for the Arab countries, located in Asia, for research, development and training in the field of nuclear science and technology (ARASIA), and authorized the Foreign Minister - or his deputy - to complete the necessary procedures, to inform the International Atomic Energy Agency after completing the necessary regulatory procedures to approve the Kingdom's acceptance of joining the aforementioned cooperative agreement. Second: The Cabinet authorized the Governor of the Central Bank of Saudi Arabia - or his deputy - to discuss and sign with the British side a draft memorandum of understanding between the Saudi Central Bank in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Bank of England (the Prudential Regulation Authority) in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to cooperate in the field of supervision of financial institutions, and submit the final signed copy, to complete the legal procedures. Third: The Cabinet authorized the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Space Commission - or his deputy - to discuss and sign with the French side a draft of memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of peaceful use of outer space between the Saudi Space Commission of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the National Centre for Space Studies in the Republic of France and submit the final signed copy, to complete the legal procedures. Fourth: The Cabinet approved the final account of the state for a previous Fiscal Year. Fifth: The Cabinet approved the job discipline law. Sixth: The Cabinet appointed Dr. Abdullah bin Mastour Al Marzouq as a representative of the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation in the Board of Directors of the Social Development Bank. Seventh: The Cabinet approved a number of promotions at (14) Rank. The Cabinet also reviewed a number of general topics on its agenda, including annual reports of the previously titled General Authority of Meteorology and Environmental Protection, the General Authority of Civil Aviation, and the General Presidency of the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, and the Cabinet took the necessary measures regarding these topics.
