The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet's session held on Tuesday afternoon at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah. At the outset of the session, the Cabinet touched upon the overall accomplishments of the State to serve and care for the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors, in addition to Saudi Arabia's efforts in this regard to complete major projects in Makkah, the holy sites and Madinah, to facilitate Muslims' performance of rituals and provide more services for them during their Hajj, Umrah as well as their visit to the Prophet's Holy Mosque. The Cabinet in this regard applauded His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister's announcement regarding the launch of the infrastructure works and the master plan for the Rua Al Madinah Project in the area east of the Prophet's Holy Mosque, which is in line with the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 for raising the capacity for hosting 30 million Umrah performers by 2030 and improving the services provided in Madinah as a modern Islamic and cultural destination. The Cabinet then addressed the recent works related to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's foreign policy and the content of the letter received by HRH the Crown Prince from the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, concerning bilateral relations and ways to support and enhance them in various fields. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Minister of State, Cabinet's Member for Shura Council Affairs and Acting Minister of Media Dr. Essam bin Saad bin Saeed said that the Cabinet reviewed a number of issues and developments in the region and the world, in addition to the international efforts being exerted in their regard. With regard to domestic affairs, the Cabinet, on the occasion of the start of the new academic year, emphasized the State's keenness and interest in continuing to work on developing the educational process and raising education outcomes in line with successful and best global practices, national development goals, the Human Capability Development Program and Saudi Vision 2030. The Cabinet was briefed on a number of issues on its agenda, and issued the following decisions: First: Approving a memorandum of understanding between the governments of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Kingdom of Morocco in the renewable energy field. Second: Approving the Arab Convention for the Prevention and Combating of Human Reproduction. Third: Authorizing the Minister of Foreign Affairs, or a deputy, to hold talks with the Seychelles regarding a draft general agreement for cooperation between the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the government of the Republic of Seychelles, sign it and refer the final signed copy to proceed with legal procedures. Fourth: Approving a memorandum of understanding in the tourist field between the Ministry of Tourism in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Tourism in Jamaica. Fifth: Authorizing the Minister of Investment, or a deputy, to hold talks with the Colombian side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding between the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the government of the Republic of Colombia for cooperation in encouraging direct investment, sign it and refer the final signed copy to proceed with legal procedures. Sixth: Approving the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to join an agreement regarding the establishment of the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation. Seventh: Approving a memorandum of understanding between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - National Anti-corruption Commission – and the State of Kuwait - Kuwait Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha), regarding enhancing and coordinating bilateral cooperation in the fields of banning and controlling corruption and approving two memorandums of understanding between the National Anti-corruption Commission in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and each of the Ministry of Interior in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the National Authority for Probity, Prevention and the Fight against Corruption (INPPLC) in the Kingdom of Morocco in the field of banning and combating corruption. Eighth: Adding the sector of livestock to the work scope of the National Fishery Development Program, established under the Cabinet decision No. (514) on 23/11/1436 Hijri and amending the name of the program into (The National Livestock and Fishery Development Program). Ninth: Adding an item numbered (56 repeated) to the Mining Investment Bylaw stipulating the fining of any party, which has not received a license, that uses residues for the purpose of selling or digging for searching minerals under the category (A) with an imprisonment term of no more than (two years) and a fine of no more than (one million) or both penalties. Tenth: Approving promotions to the (14th ranks) and an appointment with the rank of (ambassador) as the following: -Promoting Mohammed bin Ibrahim bin Mohammed Al-Thuwaini to the post of (technology advisor – information technology engineering), rank 14, at the Ministry of Interior. -Appointing Yousef bin Mohammed bin Fahd Al-Wuhaibi to the post of (ambassador) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Cabinet also reviewed several issues on its agenda, including the annual reports of the Saudi Energy Efficiency Center and the Saudi Post, where the Cabinet made necessary decisions regarding these issues.
