JEDDAH — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman condemned the terrorist Houthi militia’s repeated attempts to target Makkah, an act that has drawn widespread international condemnation and denunciation. Chairing the weekly session of the Council of Ministers in Jeddah on Tuesday, the King affirmed that this heinous crime, which violates the sanctity of the holy sites, provokes the sentiments of Muslims worldwide.At the outset of the Cabinet session, the King praised and thanked God Almighty for the great blessings bestowed upon this country and for the honor of serving the Grand Mosque, the Prophet’s Mosque, and their visitors. As Saudi Arabia celebrates its National Day on Wednesday, Sept. 23, the King expressed his wishes for continued achievements and successes in the nation’s journey of growth, progress, and leadership across all sectors.The King also commended the role of military and security personnel and their brave heroes in defending the homeland and firmly confronting any aggression against the holy sites, pilgrims, and the Kingdom’s citizens and residents. The Cabinet reviewed the outcomes of the visit of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman to Egypt. The discussions of the Crown Prince with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi underscored the depth of bilateral relations, the shared desire to enhance cooperation, and the commitment to ongoing consultation and coordination on issues of mutual interest to serve both peoples. The Cabinet also reviewed the contents of a message the Crown Prince received from King Abdullah of Jordan, as well as the details of a phone call he received from French President Emmanuel Macron, which addressed regional developments, efforts to bolster regional stability, and measures to safeguard the freedom and safety of maritime navigation and waterways. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary said the Cabinet, upon its review of regional developments, emphasized the necessity of adhering to international law—specifically respect for state sovereignty, the peaceful resolution of disputes, and the guarantee of safe navigation in international waterways—to safeguard the security of states, fulfill the aspirations of peoples, and protect international trade and global supply chains. The Cabinet reviewed the outcomes of several international conferences hosted by Saudi Arabia. It highlighted the recommendations issued by the ministerial meeting of the UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence 2026, which support international cooperation to ensure sound AI development, strengthen governance frameworks, regulate emerging technologies, and harness them safely and inclusively to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The Cabinet commended the success of the fourth edition of the Riyadh Global Medical Biotechnology Summit, which saw the launch of more than 40 agreements and initiatives aimed at localizing knowledge and innovation, advancing the sector, achieving national strategic targets, and boosting the contribution of global research to pharmaceutical discoveries and future technologies. These efforts reinforce the Kingdom's leadership in initiatives serving human health as a top priority. The Cabinet also noted the unveiling of the first models from the national automotive company, CEER, marking a new strategic milestone toward establishing an advanced, sustainable industrial ecosystem. This step empowers the sector as a vital engine of economic growth—attracting investments, supporting national talent, and expanding the private sector's developmental role—in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030 objectives and cementing the Kingdom's standing as a leading regional and global industrial hub. The Cabinet approved a memorandum of understanding to establish a strategic partnership council between the governments of Saudi Arabia and Spain. It approved a draft protocol amending the minutes establishing the Saudi-Jordanian Supreme Coordination Council, and authorizing the minister of foreign affairs to sign it.The Cabinet authorized the minister of foreign affairs or his deputy to discuss and sign two draft general cooperation agreements between the governments of Saudi Arabia and the governments of Suriname and Panama.The Council approved a model memorandum of understanding for cooperation in areas related to small- and medium-sized enterprises, entrepreneurship, and franchising between the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority of Saudi Arabia and its counterparts in other countries, and authorizing the minister of commerce and chairman of the authority's board of directors or his deputy to discuss and sign a draft memorandum of understanding with counterparts in other countries, based on the approved model.
