RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Tuesday pledged its ongoing support for Sudan, as violent protests over the African country’s struggling economy continued to flare up. At its weekly meeting the Saudi Cabinet, chaired by King Salman, restated its commitment to helping Sudan relieve the crisis, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. The Cabinet also emphasized the importance of restoring security and stability to Sudan as soon as possible. Earlier this month, a Saudi government delegation held talks in Sudan aimed at improving trade and economic relations between the two nations. In other business, the Cabinet welcomed a raft of deals announced on Monday during the launch of an ambitious scheme aimed at generating half a trillion dollars of investment and creating 1.6 million jobs for the Kingdom. The National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP) was described by the Cabinet as the biggest and most important project launched under the Saudi Vision 2030 reform plan, which hopes to diversify a national economy that was hit hard by the 2014 slump in oil prices. The NIDLP initiative aims to transform Saudi Arabia into an “industrial powerhouse,” reduce its reliance on imports, and boost the national economy. The Cabinet also welcomed a memorandum of understandingsigned with the World Economic Forum (WEF), in Davos, to cooperate with the setting up of a special WEF center to develop the technology industries of the future. During their meeting, Cabinet members condemned Israeli policies against the Palestinian people. They also approved a taxation agreement with Georgia and an arrangement with the Iraqi government over aviation services.