Jeddah – 3 Rabi‘ al-Awwal 1447 AH, corresponding to August 26, 2025 | BETH

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – may God protect him – chaired the Cabinet session held today in Jeddah.

At the outset of the session, His Majesty briefed the Cabinet on the message he received from H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of the Arab Republic of Egypt, which addressed bilateral relations and ways to support and enhance them in various fields.

The Cabinet also reviewed the outcomes of the meeting between His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister – may God protect him – and the President of Egypt, as well as the contents of the phone call between His Royal Highness and President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation, which highlighted appreciation of the Kingdom’s constructive role in promoting global peace and dialogue as a means of resolving international crises.

Gaza and Regional Issues

The Cabinet followed developments in the region and the world, reaffirming the Kingdom’s call on the international community, particularly permanent members of the UN Security Council, to urgently intervene to end famine in Gaza and halt the crimes of the Israeli occupation forces against the Palestinian people.

It further underscored the Kingdom’s support for the outcomes of the extraordinary session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers held in Jeddah, warning that the continuation of Israeli violations without accountability undermines international law and threatens regional and global security.

The Cabinet strongly condemned Israel’s continued incursions into Syrian territory and interference in its internal affairs, reaffirming the Kingdom’s full support for the Syrian government’s measures to achieve security and stability, maintain civil peace, preserve sovereignty, and reject any separatist calls to divide the country.

It also renewed the Kingdom’s call on all Sudanese parties to implement the “Jeddah Declaration” signed in 2023, protect civilians, ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian aid, and spare the Sudanese people the devastation of war and internal conflict.

Religious and Social Affairs

The Cabinet expressed a warm welcome to pilgrims and Umrah performers arriving from all over the world, emphasizing the Kingdom’s continuous efforts to provide them with comfort and care.

It praised the success of the King Abdulaziz International Competition for the Memorization, Recitation, and Interpretation of the Holy Qur’an, which, for the first time, saw the participation of 179 contestants from 128 countries—affirming the Kingdom’s leadership in serving Islam and safeguarding the Holy Qur’an.

The Cabinet also lauded the wide societal response to the annual national blood donation campaign launched by the Crown Prince, aimed at strengthening humanitarian values and achieving self-sufficiency in safe and sustainable blood supplies.

Human Development and Promising Sectors

The Cabinet acknowledged the contributions of the Human Resources Development Fund in employing 267,000 Saudi men and women in the private sector during the first half of 2025, thus reinforcing its strategic role in empowering the national workforce and boosting labor market competitiveness.

It also considered the Crown Prince’s attendance at the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup as an extension of his support for this promising sector, under a national strategy to build a globally competitive industry expected to create 39,000 jobs and contribute approximately 50 billion SAR to the GDP by 2030.

Decisions and Authorizations

The Cabinet reviewed its agenda and issued several resolutions, most notably:

Authorizing the Minister of Interior to discuss a memorandum of understanding with Naif Arab University for Security Sciences in the field of industrial security.

Approving an MoU between the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and the Islamic Council in Madagascar.

Approving an MoU between the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources (Saudi Arabia) and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (Indonesia) for cooperation in the mining sector.

Authorizing the Minister of Investment to negotiate an MoU with Hong Kong (China) in the fields of infrastructure and construction.

Approving an MoU between the Saudi Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India for cooperation in health fields.

Authorizing the Minister of Human Resources to discuss an MoU with Venezuela regarding cooperation on the rights of persons with disabilities.

Approving an MoU for cooperation in civil aviation between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

Approving two MoUs with Cyprus and Gambia for cooperation in auditing, accounting, and professional oversight.

Approving the Law on Expropriation of Real Estate for Public Interest and Temporary Possession of Real Estate.

Approving the updated strategy for the development of the Asir region.

The Cabinet also reviewed a number of annual reports and general topics and took the necessary actions regarding them.