During cabinet meeting, ministers were briefed on preparations to increase capacity at the Two Holy Mosques to two million pilgrims a month The king shared details of letter he sent to Kuwait’s emir, and a phone call with Algeria’s president in which he affirmed Kingdom’s support for efforts to battle wildfires in the country RIYADH: Saudi authorities said on Tuesday that they are closely monitoring current events in Afghanistan, and expressed their hopes that the situation in the country will stabilize as quickly as possible. During the weekly cabinet meeting, chaired remotely by King Salman from NEOM, the Council of Ministers also affirmed its support for the Afghan people. At the start of the session, the king briefed ministers on a letter he sent to Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. He also shared details of his phone call with Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebboune, during which he affirmed the Kingdom’s support for Algeria in its efforts to battle wildfires that have been raging in a number of regions, and his directive to send urgent humanitarian aid to help those affected by the disaster. The cabinet reviewed a number of reports on regional and international developments. It reiterated the Kingdom’s firm stance in support of the Yemeni people and their legitimate government, and the continuing regional and international efforts to reach a comprehensive political solution to the crisis in Yemen that promotes security, stability and development, and stops the activities of the Houthi militia that are disrupting efforts to end the war. Acting Minister of Information Majid Al-Qasabi said the Council of Ministers was briefed on preparations to begin receiving international Umrah requests and for the increase in capacity at the Two Holy Mosques to two million pilgrims a month, along with efforts to ensure the highest levels of care for pilgrims through an integrated system that uses the latest technology to safeguard their health, safety and comfort, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The cabinet also discussed regional and international developments in the pandemic and the latest statistics and indicators of the health situation in the Kingdom, including a lowering of the epidemiological curve, a decline in critical cases, and the growing demand for vaccinations. More than 32 million vaccine doses have been administered in the country to date. The council authorized the foreign minister to discuss and sign a draft memorandum of understanding with Russia regarding political consultations between the two nations’ foreign ministries. It also called on the Saudi Accreditation Center to discuss and sign an agreement with an accreditation body in the UK, and approved a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of fisheries between the Saudi government and the government of Mauritius. The cabinet authorized the minister of industry and mineral resources and the chairman of the board of directors of the Saudi Export-Import Bank to discuss with the British a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of export credit between their governments. It also authorized the minister of economy and planning and the chairman of the board of directors of the General Authority for Statistics to discuss a draft agreement for cooperation between the authority and the UK Office for National Statistics. The ministers called on the ministries of interior, justice, municipal and rural affairs and housing, and environment, water and agriculture to take the necessary action to protect streams, valleys and reefs, prohibit land sales and building, remove encroachments, and ensure all relevant regulations, decisions and instructions are implemented. They approved the appointments of Dr. Fahd Al-Rabiah, Dr. Johan Carlson, and Dr. John Norman Newton as members of the Public Health Authority’s board of directors. They are specialists experienced in the authority’s responsibilities. The cabinet also approved the formation of a Central Committee for Training and Scholarships of Civil Service Employees as part of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. Ministers reviewed a number of general topics on its agenda, including the annual reports of the Saudi Press Agency, the General Authority for State Real Estate, the National Development Fund and the Saudi Fund for Development.