by reuters — CAIRO: Saudi Arabia reiterated on Tuesday its solidarity with the Lebanese people, but said any assistance to current or future government depends on serious reforms, state news agency SPA reported, citing a statement by the Saudi Cabinet. “Any assistance provided to the current or future government depends on it carrying out serious and tangible reforms, while ensuring that aid reaches its beneficiaries, and avoiding mechanisms that enable corrupt people from controlling the fate of Lebanon,” the Cabinet said.

by saudigazette.com.sa — NEOM — The Saudi Cabinet on Tuesday reiterated the Kingdom’s solidarity with the Lebanese people during times of crises and challenges, the Saudi Press Agency reported. In a virtual session chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, the Cabinet lauded the Kingdom’s assertion during its delegation’s participation in the recently held global donor conference that the Saudi aid is conditional on the implementation of serious and tangible reforms by the Lebanese government while ensuring that the aid reaches those who deserve it, and evading the mechanisms that enable the corrupt to control the fate of Lebanon. At the outset of the meeting, the Cabinet was briefed on the contents of the talks and meetings that took place in the past few days between Saudi Arabia and a number of countries to enhance bilateral relations, develop aspects of joint cooperation in various fields, support international efforts aiming to achieve sustainable economic and social development and consolidate the values of harmony, world peace and humanitarian action.

The Cabinet was also briefed on the activities and outcomes of the participation of the Kingdom’s delegation to the meetings of the G20 held in the Italian city of Trieste, during which the role of technical and digital transformation and the innovation process in the Kingdom was highlighted. The Cabinet took note of the Kingdom’s third rank globally and first regionally among major humanitarian aid donors and being the largest supporter of Yemen, according to data revealed by the United Nations Financial Tracking Service (FTS), reflecting the deep-rooted values and firm principles of the Kingdom and its people based on the teachings of Islam, and translating its glorious history of standing by the side of the needy people and countries across the world. The Cabinet affirmed the Kingdom’s keenness to sponsor initiatives that promote peaceful coexistence and civilized dialogue in the Arab and Islamic nation and the world at large. This came as the Cabinet was briefed on the recommendations of the Forum of the Iraqi Religious References, which was held in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, at an invitation of the Muslim World League, praising the efforts being exerted by the Kingdom under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman in serving Islam, Muslims and all humanity.

The forum stressed the need to enhance the channels of dialogue and communication among scholars in Iraq to address emerging issues and spread common values to build their country and achieve citizenship. The Cabinet was briefed on the latest developments of the COVID-19 pandemic locally and internationally, as well as the latest continuing assessment reports of the health conditions in the Kingdom in light of the trends in the curves recorded by statistics and indicators. The Cabinet called on all citizens and residents to continue adhering to precautionary and preventive measures, and taking the two doses of the vaccine to keep safe against the virus and its mutations.

The Cabinet reviewed a number of topics on its agenda, including some co-studied by the Shoura Council.

The Cabinet issued the following decisions:

— The Cabinet approved a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of hydrogen between the Saudi Ministry of Energy and the German Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy.

— The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Culture, or his representative, to discuss and sign a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of culture between the Saudi Ministry of Culture and the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports.

— The Cabinet approved a memorandum of understanding regarding the Tourism Community Initiative between the Saudi Ministry of Tourism, the World Tourism Organization, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the World Bank.

— The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, or his representative, to discuss and sign a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation between the Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), to promote the dissemination of technical awareness and enrich the technical Arabic content.

— The Cabinet approved a partnership agreement between the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and the World Council on City Data to establish, manage, and operate the local data center for the city of Riyadh. — The Cabinet appointed two members — representatives from the private sector

— in the Board of Trustees of the Prince Sultan Defense Studies and Research Center. — The University Affairs Council is responsible for coordinating between public and private universities that have emergency medicine major, equipped facilities, cadres, the Saudi Red Crescent Authority and the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, to prepare rehabilitation programs in the emergency medicine major with a diploma degree and grant a certificate of emergency medical technician.

— The Cabinet approved the waste management system.

— The Cabinet renewed three memberships and appointed one as members of highly qualified and experienced members in the areas of regulations or economic activities, in the Board of Directors of the General Authority for Competition.

— The Cabinet approved the rules for regulating free and open-source government software.

 

— The Cabinet approved the amendments of subparagraph (A) of Paragraph (5) of Item (First) of the working mechanism of the Real Estate Contributions Committee, to be as stated in the decision. — The Cabinet approved the final accounts of the Saudi Grains Organization, the Islamic University in Madinah, and the Saudi Ports Authority, for a previous fiscal year.

—The Cabinet approved a number of promotions at the 14th and 15th ranks.