Saudi Govt Approves Establishment of Higher Council of Space Headed by Crown Prince Mohammed

King Salman chairs the cabinet meeting in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
King Salman chairs the cabinet meeting in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
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Saudi Govt Approves Establishment of Higher Council of Space Headed by Crown Prince Mohammed

King Salman chairs the cabinet meeting in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
King Salman chairs the cabinet meeting in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)

The Saudi government approved on Tuesday the establishment of the Higher Council of Space that will be headed by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chaired the cabinet meeting that was held in Riyadh.

The government also approved an amendment to the name of the Communications and Information Technology Commission, changing it to the Communications, Space and Technology Commission.

The cabinet was briefed on the talks Crown Prince Mohammed held with the president of Senegal and prime minister of Pakistan.

It was also briefed on the work of the Sub-Committee of Saudi–Pakistan Supreme Coordination Council and the Saudi-Chinese High-Level Joint Committee.

The government highlighted Crown Prince Mohammed’s announcement last week that the Public Investment Fund (PIF) will establish five companies that will invest in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Oman and Sudan.

The companies will seek to invest up to SAR 90 billion (USD 24 billion) to help build lasting strategic economic partnerships, growing PIF’s Assets Under Management, and diversifying Saudi Arabia’s sources of revenue, while underscoring the objectives of Vision 2030.

The cabinet highlighted the recent 6th Future Investment Initiative forum that was held in Riyadh last week. The event addressed several issues and solutions to challenges facing the world.

A number of agreements and memorandums of understanding were signed at the event that also witnessed the launch of many local, regional and international initiatives that support the investment sector.



Trump Heads on ‘Historic’ Gulf Tour

Saudi and US flags flutter on a main road in Riyadh on May 12, 2025, ahead of a visit by US President Donald Trump this week. (AFP)
Saudi and US flags flutter on a main road in Riyadh on May 12, 2025, ahead of a visit by US President Donald Trump this week. (AFP)
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Trump Heads on ‘Historic’ Gulf Tour

Saudi and US flags flutter on a main road in Riyadh on May 12, 2025, ahead of a visit by US President Donald Trump this week. (AFP)
Saudi and US flags flutter on a main road in Riyadh on May 12, 2025, ahead of a visit by US President Donald Trump this week. (AFP)

US President Donald Trump on Monday left for Saudi Arabia on what he called a "historic" tour of the Middle East that will mix urgent diplomacy on Gaza and Iran with huge business deals.

Air Force One took off on a journey that starts in Saudi Arabia and includes stops in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates -- and possibly talks in Türkiye on the Ukraine war.

Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza will hang heavy over the first major tour of Trump's second term -- but in one sign of progress, US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander was handed over to the Red Cross just as the president boarded his plane.

"It's big news," Trump said at the White House shortly before departing. "He's coming home to his parents, which is really great news. They thought he was dead."

Trump has in recent weeks seemed to cool on his efforts to end the Gaza war -- despite boasting before taking office that he would be able to bring the conflict to a swift end.

Trump said there were "very good things happening" on talks between Washington and Tehran over Iran's nuclear ambitions -- though he added that Iran "can't have a nuclear weapon."

The US president said that he hoped for more developments on Gaza during his trip to the Gulf, noting that his tour involved "three primary countries" in the region.

Riyadh will host on Wednesday a Gulf-American summit as Trump visits the region.

The summit will bring together the US president with his counterparts from the Arab Gulf.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz sent on Sunday invitations to the leaders of Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman to attend the summit.