The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Chairs Cabinet Session in Jeddah
Jeddah, September 22, 2026, SPA -- Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet session held today in Jeddah.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques praised and thanked Allah 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 the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia celebrates its National Day tomorrow, the King expressed his wishes for further achievements and successes in the nation's journey of growth, progress, and leadership across all sectors.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques acknowledged the role of military and security personnel and their brave heroes in defending the homeland and firmly confronting any aggression against the holy sites, the pilgrims, and the Kingdom's citizens and residents. He condemned the terrorist Houthi militia's repeated attempt to target Makkah—an act met with widespread international condemnation and denunciation—emphasizing that this heinous crime, which violates the sanctity of the holy sites, provokes the sentiments of Muslims worldwide.
The Cabinet then reviewed the outcomes of the visit by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to the Arab Republic of Egypt, where discussions held with 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 HRH the Crown Prince received from King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein 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 addressed other items on its agenda and issued several decisions, including the following:
First:
Approving a memorandum of understanding to establish a strategic partnership council between the governments of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Kingdom of Spain.
Second:
Approving a draft protocol amending the minutes establishing the Saudi-Jordanian Supreme Coordination Council, and authorizing the minister of foreign affairs to sign it.
Third:
Authorizing the minister of foreign affairs, or a deputy, to discuss and sign two draft general cooperation agreements between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the governments of the Republic of Suriname and the Republic of Panama.
Fourth:
Approving 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 the Kingdom 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 a deputy, to discuss and sign a draft memorandum of understanding with counterparts in other countries, based on the approved model.