RIYADH: King Salman on Tuesday received Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa at Al-Yamamah Palace, in Riyadh.
During their meeting, the minister conveyed to the monarch the greetings of Bahrain’s King Hamad, and King Salman returned his good wishes.
The strong bond between the two countries was discussed, along with the latest developments in the region.
Also present at the meeting was Saudi Minister of State, Cabinet member and Chief of the Royal Court Khalid bin Abdulrahman Al-Issa; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir; and Bahraini Ambassador to the Kingdom Sheikh Hamoud bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa.
Later, King Salman chaired the Cabinet session in Riyadh, which began with members commending the approval for the start of construction work on the $500 billion NEOM megacity development in the Kingdom’s northwest and its instructions to complete preparations and start construction work in the first quarter of 2019.
The Cabinet reviewed the Kingdom’s involvement at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2019 and discussed Ƶ’s progress in developing a diversified energy strategy for the country with less dependence on oil and gas. The need for a sustainable energy future was highlighted, in order to tackle global challenges such as climate change, water cleanliness, air quality and sustained economic growth.
Media Minister Turki Al-Shabanah hailed the recognition given to the Saudi Aramco gas plant, in Uthmaniyah, by the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Aramco is believed to be the first company in the world in the oil and gas sector to join a list of Fourth Industrial Revolution “lighthouses” for its technological advances in artificial intelligence.
In other matters, the Cabinet pointed to the Kingdom’s participation in the 29th International Conference of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, in Cairo, where issues such as refugees and Arab unity on economic development were discussed.
The Cabinet welcomed the UN-led Hodeidah cease-fire agreement for Yemen, and international customs matters were also on the agenda.
