The Vice Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet's session at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah on Monday afternoon.
At the outset of the session, the Vice Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques briefed the Cabinet on the results of the talks held by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud with President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi of the Republic of Yemen, and his emphasis on the Kingdom's full support for the Republic of Yemen and its legitimate government, and its permanent keenness on Yemen's security, stability and assisting its brotherly people.
The Minister of Social Affairs and Acting Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Majed bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi said in a statement to Saudi Press Agency following the session that the Cabinet appreciated in this regard the written message addressed by President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi of the Republic of Yemen to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques received by the Vice Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and its contents of thanks and gratitude for the royal order which resulted in correcting the statuses of nearly half a million Yemenis staying in the Kingdom illegally, giving them a visitor card, allowing them to work to improve their living conditions and preserve their dignity, and the Kingdom's sponsorship of building a sheltered center inside Yemeni territories to provide relief and humanitarian services to the stranded people at the border crossing points, the Kingdom's treatment of the injured people from all parties and groups without distinction or discrimination in hospitals and health centers in the border areas, and continuing operation of hospitals already established by the Kingdom in Yemen at full capacity.
The Minister pointed out that the Cabinet reviewed a number of reports on the latest developments at regional, Arab and international arenas. It expressed its strong condemnation of the terrorist bombing occurred in Karanah village in the Kingdom of Bahrain and resulted in the martyrdom of a security man and wounding others, stressing that these terrorist crimes which aim to destabilize the security and shed the blood of innocent people contradict all human values and principles, which require further intensification of international efforts to eliminate terrorism and its sources of financing, offering the condolences of the Kingdom's Government and people to the Kingdom of Bahrain's King, government and people, and wishing the injured a speedy recovery.
Dr. Majed bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi said that the Cabinet was briefed on the issues on its agenda, including the issues it has co-participated in their study with the Council of Shura, and decided the following:
First: the cabinet approved the following:
1. To authorize the Minister of Culture and Information, or his deputy to sign with the Egyptian side an executive program for cooperation in the field of radio and television, as well as an executive program on cultural cooperation between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arab Republic of Egypt, in the framework of Saudi-Egyptian Joint Committee.
2. To authorize the Minister of Education, or his deputy to sign with the Egyptian side an executive educational and tutorial program between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arab Republic of Egypt, in the framework of the Saudi-Egyptian Joint Committee.
3. To authorize the Minister of Labor, or his deputy to discuss with the Egyptian side a draft memorandum of understanding in the areas of labor between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arab Republic of Egypt, and to sign it.
4. To authorize the Minister of Agriculture, or his deputy to discuss with the Egyptian side a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in agricultural fields between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arab Republic of Egypt and to sign it.
5. To authorize the President of King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, or his deputy to discuss with the Egyptian side a draft agreement on cooperation in the field of peaceful uses of nuclear energy between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arab Republic of Egypt, and to sign it.
Second: after reviewing a report of the Minister of Finance, the cabinet approved the establishment of a national program under the name, (the national program to support the project management in public entities) aims to contribute to raising the adequacy and quality of implementation of public body projects through the application of international best practices in the areas of project management, and among the objectives of the programs, supervised by the Board of Directors under the chairmanship of the Minister of economy and planning, are the following:
1- To set the necessary criteria to determine the public entities that require the establishment of projects (project management offices) to follow up and coordinate the management of projects, and verify their implementation.
2 - To develop scientific and practical system for managing projects to help public bodies in this regard, using the best international practices.
3 - To contribute to qualifying national cadres working in project management offices to ensure raising the level of their performance.
Third: after reviewing a report of the Minister of Hajj and after consideration of the Shura Council Resolution No; (70/36) dated 07/16/1436 AH., the Cabinet decided to approve the addition of defamation sanction to the planned sanctions in the following: home pilgrims service system, the system of transfer pilgrims to the Kingdom and return them to their country, organizing Umrah Services and visitors to the Prophet's Holy Mosque coming from outside the Kingdom, and organizational regulations to prevent non-Saudis to deal in the field of housing pilgrims and visitors, and the rules of discipline members of pilgrim-guides, agents, guides and Zamzam water men.
Fourth: reviewing a report submitted by the Minister of Commerce and Industry, who is also the chairman of the board of directors of Saudi Standards Commission, the cabinet approved the final account of the standards, measurement and quality authority.
Fifth: after reviewing a report submitted by the Ministry of Labor in view of the Shura Council resolution No. (5/4) dated 21/3/1436 H., the Cabinet approved the new organizational regulation of the temporary and seasonal visas.
Sixth: the cabinet approved the appointment of Eng. Khalid bin Abdullah Al-Hugail, Dr. Rumaih bin Mohammed Al-Rumaih and Dr. Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Ghunaim as members representing the private sector in the board of directors of the Public Transportation Commission for three years.
Seventh: after reviewing a report submitted by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in view of the Shura Council resolution No. (45/27) dated 17/6/1436 H., the Cabinet approved the memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Education and Communications of the Republic of Finland for cooperation in the field of communications and information technology, which was signed on Tuesday 11/1/1436 H.
The cabinet authorized the president of King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy or his deputy to discuss with the Canadian side the draft framework agreement on cooperation in the field of peaceful usage of atomic energy between the Kingdom and Canada and sign it.
Ninth: the cabinet approved the following appointments in the 14th rank:
1- Mohammed bin Mashari bin Dakheel Al-Raheeli as Director General for Administrative and Financial Affairs at the municipality of Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah Region
2- Eng. Fahd bin Ali bin Salem Al-Oafi as Undersecretary for Services Affairs at the municipality of Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah Region
3- Eng. Ali bin Ibrahim bin Hasan Al-Marhabi as undersecretary of the Municipal affairs at Jeddah Province municipality
4- Abdulaziz bin Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Abdullatif as branch Director General of the ministry of labor
5- Mohammed bin Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al-Nasser as Director General of the office of the General President at the General Presidency of the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.