Saudi Cabinet renews call for Middle East free from nuclear weapons

Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers held its weekly meeting, chaired virtually by King Salman from NEOM. (SPA)

• Ministers were briefed on the outcomes of the 7th G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit and the 76th session of the UN General Assembly
• The Cabinet hailed the Kingdom’s election to chair four associations of the World Intellectual Property Organization

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia reiterated its call for a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction, the Cabinet said on Tuesday.
It also affirmed the Kingdom’s statement at the meetings of the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, of the great attention it attaches to the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the importance of its objectives, and its role in strengthening international peace and security.
The comments were made in a statement issued by Acting Minister of Media Essam bin Saad bin Saeed, following a weekly Cabinet meeting, chaired virtually by King Salman from NEOM.
At the beginning of the session, the Cabinet was briefed on talks conducted with a number of countries during the past few days. They were also briefed on the content of a letter sent by King Salman to Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara earlier on Tuesday.
The Cabinet addressed the influential role played by the Kingdom in international forums, through the UN, various international organizations, and the G20, to achieve greater security, peace, stability and development.
Ministers were also briefed on the outcomes of the 7th G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit, which was held in the Italian capital, Rome, and addressed the results of the Kingdom’s participation in the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, and its commitment to joint cooperation, supporting humanitarian and development efforts, enhancing the stability and balance of global oil markets, and contributing to achieving global targets to combat climate change through qualitative initiatives, most notably the Saudi and Middle East green initiatives and the Circular Carbon Economy.
The Cabinet hailed the Kingdom’s election to chair four associations of the World Intellectual Property Organization as a new success added to its record of achievements in this field.
Bin Saeed said the ministers also reviewed regional and international developments, including the Arab coalition’s efforts to support the internationally-recognized government in Yemen, and “the necessary measures it implements to deal with terrorist acts, and (the) futile attempts of the Houthi militia to target civilians and civilian objects in the Kingdom, and threaten shipping lines and international trade in the Bab Al-Mandab strait and the southern Red Sea.”
The Cabinet said the National Investment Strategy, which was launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday, was one of the main enablers to achieving the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. It includes developing investment opportunities in promising economic sectors, improving the Kingdom’s business environment, enhancing its attractiveness and competitiveness, and increasing the effectiveness of partnerships between the public and private sectors.
Finally, the energy minister was authorized to sign a draft agreement with the UK in the field of energy, and the finance minister and chairman of the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority was authorized to sign a draft agreement with Bangladesh on cooperation and mutual assistance on customs issues.