Saudi Cabinet Reviews Regional Developments, Approves New Cooperation Agreements

SPA

Riyadh, Jan. 21, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet session in Riyadh on Monday, the Saudi Press Agency said.

The Cabinet reviewed a letter sent by Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and took note of a telephone discussion between the Crown Prince and Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa.

Ministers welcomed the launch of the second phase of the Gaza peace plan, the formation of the Palestinian National Committee for the Administration of the Gaza Strip, and the announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the establishment of a peace council. The Cabinet stressed the need to stabilize the ceasefire, allow humanitarian aid into Gaza without restrictions, and enable the Palestinian National Authority to resume its responsibilities as part of efforts to achieve an independent Palestinian state under UN resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.

The Cabinet also noted Saudi Arabia’s support for a ceasefire agreement in Syria and the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces into state institutions, reaffirming the Kingdom’s backing for initiatives promoting civil peace and preserving Syria’s territorial integrity.

On Yemen, ministers reviewed ongoing political efforts and the continued preparation for the Riyadh conference aimed at reaching a comprehensive framework for a just and sustainable settlement. The Cabinet highlighted Saudi development programs in multiple Yemeni governorates and cited UN data ranking the Kingdom second globally and first in the Arab world in humanitarian and relief contributions, as well as Yemen’s largest donor in 2025.

The session also discussed the outcomes of the Future Minerals Forum, which recorded participation from 91 countries and resulted in 132 agreements and memoranda of understanding worth more than SAR100 billion. Ministers noted steady expansion across non-oil sectors, many of which have posted annual growth rates of 5–10% over the past five years.

The Cabinet approved a series of cooperation agreements, including:

• a Saudi–Pakistan memorandum on electrical interconnection;

• a Saudi–Iraq memorandum on combating narcotics trafficking;

• a Saudi–Singapore draft memorandum on social development;

• a Saudi Geological Survey agreement with the Society of Exploration Geophysicists;

• technical cooperation in civil aviation with the African Civil Aviation Commission;

• a memorandum with UN-Habitat on treated-water reuse for irrigation;

• a Saudi–Kyrgyz agreement on intelligence cooperation related to financial crimes;

• a Saudi–Malaysia agreement on accounting and auditing collaboration.

The Cabinet also approved the National Insurance Sector Strategy and established a permanent ministerial committee to coordinate services for individuals with autism spectrum disorder.