Saudi Crown Prince and Sultan of Oman Discuss Efforts to Preserve Regional Security and Stability

Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman discussed developments in the region and the efforts undertaken to preserve its security and stability. The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported that the two sides reviewed during their meeting in Jeddah the fraternal relations between the two brotherly countries, as well as areas of bilateral cooperation and promising opportunities to enhance and develop it across various fields.

On another front, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman chaired the meeting of the Council of Ministers held in Jeddah yesterday. At the beginning of the session, the Council of Ministers was briefed on the substance of consultations and talks held in recent days between the Kingdom and friendly and sister countries.

The Council commended the outcomes of the first meeting of the Political and Defense Strategic Committee of the Mecca Agreement for Joint Defense among the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, which included an agreement to take further institutional executive steps to establish a general secretariat headquartered in the Kingdom, and to activate joint cooperation channels, thereby enhancing coordination and integration, ensuring the effectiveness of collective deterrence and defense, and contributing to supporting international security and regional efforts aimed at achieving a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace.

Saudi Minister of Media Salman bin Yousuf Al-Dosari clarified in his statement to SPA following the session that the Council, after reviewing the outcomes of the 23rd Extraordinary Session of the Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, reaffirmed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s support for all efforts that enhance the Organization’s contribution to serving the issues of the Islamic world and realizing the aspirations of its peoples for stability and peace. In this context, he expressed congratulations to Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed on his election as Secretary-General, and conveyed appreciation for the efforts of the former Secretary-General, Hussein Ibrahim Taha, during his tenure.

The Council of Ministers also addressed the Kingdom’s active role in regional and international organizations, commending within this framework national efforts that contributed to establishing the Kingdom’s regional leadership with 21 cities certified as Healthy Cities by the World Health Organization. These efforts have transformed the standards of these cities into institutional and developmental practices that place human well-being and quality of life as a priority and a central focus of sustainable development.

The Council estimated that the National Reforestation Program received the United Nations Award for Global Leading Models for Land Restoration, embodying its leadership in the environmental field and its efforts in developing vegetation cover, restoring degraded lands, protecting ecosystems, and enhancing biodiversity.

The Council considered the re-election of the Kingdom as President of the Executive Board of the Arab Organization for Administrative Development as an affirmation of its leadership in supporting joint Arab action and its continuous contributions to developing human resources and improving the quality of services provided to member states, in line with desired goals and aspirations.

The Council was briefed on the items on its agenda, including topics jointly studied by the Shura Council. It was also informed of the conclusions reached by the Political and Security Affairs Council, the Economic and Development Affairs Council, the General Committee of the Council of Ministers, and the Council of Ministers’ Experts Committee regarding these matters.