Cabinet: The Crown Prince’s launch of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, the beginning of a new phase in this vital sector to improve its services and means

NEOM - The Council of Ministers held its session on Tuesday, 26 Dhu al-Qi'dah 1442 AH corresponding to July 06, 2021 AD - via video communication - under the chairmanship of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Prime Minister, may God protect him.

At the beginning of the session, the council reviewed the efforts made by state agencies to enhance development gains and achieve more leaps through (Vision 2030) in all its axes, which are based on increasing and sustaining economic growth in all fields, and developing new sectors based on the distinguished location and leading position of the Kingdom.

In this context, the Council of Ministers considered the launch of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, may God protect him, the national strategy for transport and logistics, as the beginning of a new phase in this vital sector to improve its services and means, integrate its system and modern patterns, and consolidate the Kingdom’s position as a global logistics center linking the three continents. Through a package of qualitative initiatives and projects that will contribute - God willing - to achieving economic and social goals, and enhancing the Kingdom's competitiveness regionally and globally.

In his statement to the Saudi Press Agency, His Excellency the Minister of Information, Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, stated that the council then dealt with a number of topics, events and their developments, once again the Kingdom's continued support for Yemen and its legitimate government, and to push all parties to accept political solutions to unite the ranks among the various spectrums of its people injecting blood and bridging the rift between its components; To complete his march in restoring his state, security and stability, and support efforts to reach a comprehensive political solution to end the crisis, in accordance with the Gulf Initiative, the outcomes of the comprehensive Yemeni national dialogue, and Security Council resolution (2216).

The Cabinet reiterated the Kingdom's condemnation of the continued attempts by the Iranian-backed terrorist Houthi militia to target civilians and civilian objects, and to continue violating the Stockholm Agreement by launching hostilities from Hodeidah Governorate.

The Council touched on what the Kingdom expressed in the two special sessions on Africa, multilateralism and international governance to combat the Corona pandemic, which were held on the sidelines of the meeting of the foreign and development ministers of the Group of Twenty countries in the Italian city of Matera, about its support for international and regional efforts, to lay the foundations for stability, security and conflict resolution in Continent, and looking forward to global solidarity to advance it, promote investment in it in various fields, and be keen on close partnership and effective cooperation to confront the challenges that threaten the world and humanity.

His Excellency indicated that the Council of Ministers stressed the Kingdom's firm position towards making the Middle East region free of weapons of mass destruction, support for cooperation to ban them and prevent their spread, and condemn their use, and the great interest it showed during the meetings of the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in its 97th session. The Convention bans it, in affirmation of its role in strengthening international peace and security.

The Council was briefed on the topics on its agenda, including topics that the Shura Council participated in its study, as well as the conclusions of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, the Council of Political and Security Affairs, the General Committee of the Council of Ministers, and the Council of Experts in the Council of Ministers in this regard.

The Council of Ministers concluded the following:

First:

Authorization to negotiate and sign draft agreements between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman in the following fields: the field of youth and sports, the cultural field, the field of standardization, the commercial fields, the audio-visual media field, the radio and television field, the field of investment promotion, the field of communications, information technology and mail, the field of transport , and then upload the final, signed copies, to complete the statutory procedures.

Second:

Approval of the minutes of the establishment of the Saudi-Malaysian Coordination Council.

Third:

Amending Article (5) of Regulating Regions and Cities Development Authorities, issued by Cabinet Resolution No. (475) dated 7/9/1439 AH, by adding a paragraph bearing No. (5) with the following text: “5 A representative from the Ministry of Tourism is added to the membership of the Council of the Authority development of the Asir region.

Fourthly:

Transfer the tasks of transporting, distributing and selling treated water with all its uses (agricultural, industrial, and urban) to the Public Institution for Irrigation.

Fifth:

Amending the list of the types of activity excluded from foreign investment, as mentioned in the resolution.

Sixthly:

Approval of promotions for the fifteenth and fourteenth ranks, as follows:

- Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Hammad Al-Salama is promoted to a position of (administrative advisor) at rank (15) at the Ministry of National Guard.

- Youssef bin Abdulaziz bin Ali Al-Luhaidan is promoted to the position of Adviser for Citizens Affairs at the fifteenth rank at the Ministry of National Guard.

- Ali bin Attia bin Hamad Al Jaber is promoted to the position of Director General of the General Department of Housing Studies and Monitoring, rank (14) at the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing.

- Eng. Saif bin Nasser bin Muhammad Al-Saif is promoted to the position of (computer consultant engineer), rank (14) at the National Information Center.

- Abdulaziz bin Saleh bin Abdulaziz Al-Ajroush to the position of (Assistant General Manager), rank (14) at the National Information Center.

The Cabinet also reviewed a number of general topics on its agenda, including annual reports for the King Fahd National Library, the Communications and Information Technology Commission, and the General Authority for Endowments, and the Council took the necessary measures regarding these issues.