NEOM - The Council of Ministers held its meeting today, Tuesday, 23 Rabi` al-Akhir, 1442 AH, corresponding to 8 December 2020 AD - via video communication - headed by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Prime Minister.

The Cabinet reviewed developments related to the Coronavirus pandemic, locally and internationally.

The Council addressed the Kingdom’s emphasis during the 31st Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly to discuss ways of global response to the Covid-19 pandemic and recover from it, the need to ensure that vaccines reach all countries and create conditions that allow them to be provided to all peoples in a fair and affordable manner, and to formulate strategies for recovery and preparedness. To improve future epidemics, and to affirm the continuation of its commitment to strengthening collective action, and its cooperation with the United Nations to face global challenges.

Majid bin Abdullah al-Qasabi, the Minister of Information in charge, stated that the Council considered the Kingdom’s leadership and is the leader of the G20 countries in a number of security indicators issued by the Global Competitiveness Report 2019 and the Sustainable Development Report 2020, surpassing the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, and their access to The first in the Arab world and the twenty-second in the world in the Global Index of Artificial Intelligence, as new achievements are added to its achievements in light of its wise policy that prioritizes maintaining and strengthening security in its comprehensive sense, and elevating it to leadership in all fields.

The Council reviewed the outcomes of the meetings of the Follow-up and Political Consultation Committee between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arab Republic of Egypt, and its final statement reflected the consensus on many issues and crises that the region and the world are going through, and emphasized the rejection of regional interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries, and attempts to destabilize the region’s security and stability. And the importance of the Arab role and the role of the Arab League in resolving the region’s crises within the framework of relevant international decisions and in accordance with the principles of international law.

Dr. Al-Qasabi stated that the Council renewed the Kingdom’s stance towards the Palestinian issue that it is a fundamental Arab issue, and it has not hesitated to defend it since the era of King Abdulaziz, and is still at the top of the issues that support it in its foreign policy, its commitment to supporting the strategic choice for peace, and adherence to the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, according The international resolutions and laws, and the affirmation on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, the importance of the Israeli occupation ceasing to build settlements on Palestinian lands, which constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and an obstacle to achieving permanent and comprehensive peace.

The Cabinet touched on the Kingdom’s affirmation, during its participation in the Paris Conference in support of Lebanon and its people, on the need to achieve comprehensive political and economic reform in Lebanon, and to limit the external influence of regional parties seeking to spread destruction and instability in Lebanon and the Middle East region.

The Council reiterated its condemnation and condemnation of the Iranian-backed terrorist Houthi militia continuing to launch “booby-trapped” drones towards the Kingdom and targeting civilian objects and civilians in a systematic and deliberate manner, which is a flagrant violation of international and humanitarian law and its customary rules.