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The Saudi Press Agency reported that the Council of Ministers highlighted Saudi Arabia’s vigorous diplomatic activities aimed at containing tensions and fostering de-escalation across the region. Minister of Education and Acting Minister of Media Yousef Al-Benyan delivered the briefing after the meeting chaired by King Salman. The cabinet reaffirmed the Kingdom’s dedication to upholding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries while securing vital maritime routes.
At the beginning of the session, King Salman conveyed his thanks to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for their roles in the recent Makkah Summit for Joint Defense. The gathering strengthened historical bonds and established a framework for ongoing defense collaboration among the three nations. Such partnerships are intended to tackle shared regional challenges and contribute to broader international stability, according to the agency.
The ministers received updates on a message from Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa along with recent calls between the Crown Prince and French President Emmanuel Macron as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. These communications build upon Saudi Arabia’s participation in an August 3 multilateral meeting in Cairo that similarly focused on de-escalation steps, Saudi Press Agency records show. The cabinet expressed support for United Nations initiatives seeking peace in Yemen and welcomed a Security Council condemnation of Houthi actions that endanger navigation.
The session included a review of the Ministerial Meeting in Support of Jerusalem held in Amman, with the cabinet rejecting any alterations to the city’s historical status. It called for an immediate halt to violations in Gaza and the West Bank to protect civilian populations and holy sites. Saudi Arabia reiterated its backing for the Palestinian cause as part of its consistent regional policy.
Progress in science and technology also featured in discussions, as the cabinet pointed to the upcoming UNESCO Global Forum on Artificial Intelligence Ethics in Riyadh during September. Saudi Arabia’s successful organization of the International Nuclear Science Olympiad and its students’ high placements illustrate advancing goals under Vision 2030, the ministers noted. The cabinet ratified the United Nations Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts as part of these forward-looking measures.
Additional decisions encompassed approval of regulations for the Roads General Authority and authorization for the Saudi Center for Healthcare Accreditation to extend services beyond national borders. The body voted to dissolve the Jazan Mountainous Areas Development and Reconstruction Authority, reallocating its functions to the Strategic Office for Jazan Region development and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. Several memorandums of understanding gained endorsement, spanning health sector ties with Mozambique, auditing cooperation with Uzbekistan, logistics collaboration with Morocco, peaceful space uses with Japan and halal affairs with Thailand.
