The Saudi Council of Ministers followed up on the developments in regional and international arenas and discussed the Kingdom's efforts to aid those affected by the recent floods in Libya, including providing food and shelter assistance.
The session, chaired by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, also touched upon the Kingdom's 93rd National Day on Saturday.
King Salman began the meeting by reflecting on the significance of the National Day, emphasizing Saudi Arabia's pride in its historical achievements and distinguished status among nations.
He lauded the accomplishments of the Kingdom, saying he looked forward to a brighter and more prosperous future.
The Council reviewed the recent discussions between Saudi Arabia and several countries, including the letters Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi sent to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The messages discussed the bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to support and enhance them across various sectors.
Minister of Information Salman al-Dossary elaborated on the results of Saudi Arabia's participation in the G77+China summit held in Cuba.
Dossary highlighted the significance of the collaborative approach towards prosperity and stability.
The Council also touched upon Saudi Arabia's continued leadership in humanitarian affairs, its commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and its proactive stance in addressing global challenges.
The Council discussed the UN announcement that Saudi Arabia will host the World Environment Day in 2024, underscoring the Kingdom's local and international pivotal role in environmental conservation and sustainability, in line with the objectives of Vision 2030.
Additionally, the Council commended establishing the Council of Arab Ministers of Cybersecurity with a general secretariat and an executive office in Riyadh, following a proposal submitted by the Kingdom.
The initiative aims to fortify cooperation, ensure security and stability, and serve the goals and aspirations towards a promising future for member states.
The Council also addressed the positive appraisals of international financial institutions and credit rating agencies of the Saudi economy, noting that they reflect the prominent role of the economic and structural reforms implemented under Vision 2030.
The reforms have significantly contributed to the growth of the non-oil sector, ensured the sustainability of public finance, and maintained a balanced level of public debt.
The Council approved several memorandums of understanding (MoUs), including one with Oman in the energy sector.
It also approved an agreement with Thailand on visa exemption to facilitate the travel of diplomatic, official, and unique passport holders from both countries to promote diplomatic ties and ease official visits between the two nations.
The Saudi Royal Institute of Traditional Arts and the Korea National University of Cultural Heritage signed an agreement to foster collaboration in traditional arts.
Both institutions will share knowledge, expertise, and resources to promote and preserve the traditional arts of their respective countries.
Saudi Arabia also signed a cooperation agreement with Azerbaijan on combating counterterrorism and its financing.
The Council of Ministers made several decisions to foster international cooperation and strengthen domestic institutional frameworks in various fields, including energy, defense, economic collaboration, transport and logistics, and Artificial Intelligence.
The Chairman of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, or his representative, is authorized to converse on two separate MoUs with the International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI) and the Jozef Stefan Institute (JSI) in Slovenia.
The Council reviewed several other general topics on its agenda and took necessary actions accordingly.
