The Saudi Cabinet on Tuesday reviewed the latest regional developments, stressing the need for de-escalation and supporting Pakistani mediation and diplomatic efforts to reach a political solution that spares the region further tension and instability.
A cabinet session, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in Jeddah, also reiterated the importance of restoring the freedom of international navigation in the Strait of Hormuz to its normal state as it was before February 28, ensuring the safe and unhindered passage of ships.
During the session, the Crown Prince briefed the ministers on the contents of messages received by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and himself from Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
He also informed the session of his recent phone call with Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, during which he condemned the Iranian attacks targeting the UAE and affirmed Saudi Arabia’s support for the UAE in its defense of its security and stability.
The Cabinet reviewed the outcomes of Saudi Arabia’s participation in regional and international meetings, underscoring the Kingdom’s commitment to sustained cooperation with brotherly and friendly nations. It reaffirmed its support for enhanced coordination across a range of fields and issues of mutual interest, with the aim of strengthening collective response mechanisms and addressing shared global challenges.
At the domestic level, the Cabinet reviewed the performance indicators of several key sectors in light of the accelerated implementation of strategies and initiatives. It also noted the significant growth in local content, the expansion of national supply chains, and the continued strengthening of their competitiveness.
The Cabinet then reviewed the launch of “Saudi Environment Week 2026” as a continuation of national efforts in environmental protection. These efforts have delivered notable results, including a fourfold increase in protected areas, the rehabilitation of more than one million hectares of degraded land, the planting of 159 million trees using renewable water sources, the reintroduction of thousands of endangered wildlife species, and leadership in regional and international initiatives with lasting sustainable impact.
The Cabinet then authorized the Culture Minister, or a deputy, to discuss and sign with the Jordanian and Moroccan sides two draft memoranda of understanding (MoUs) between the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language and both the Jordan Academy of Arabic Language and the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco in the field of serving and promoting the Arabic language.
It approved an agreement between the Saudi and Indian governments on mutual exemption from short-stay visa requirements for holders of diplomatic, special, and official passports.
Among other decisions, the Cabinet approved an MoU for cooperation between the Saudi and Pakistani ministries of justice, and another MoU between the Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and Brazil's Ministry of Mines and Energy for cooperation in the field of mineral resources.
Also, it permitted an MoU between the High Commission for Industrial Security and Naif Arab University for Security Sciences in the field of industrial security and an MoU between the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) and the Halal Accreditation Agency of Türkiye.
The Cabinet then authorized the Saudi Authority of Internal Auditors (SAIA) to discuss and sign with the French Institute of Internal Audit and Control (IFACI) a draft MoU for cooperation in internal auditing, governance, risk, and compliance and approved an MoU between the Agricultural Development Fund of Saudi Arabia and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for cooperation in developing the agricultural sector.
