JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet on Tuesday agreed that the state will bear the costs of relocation and change of status for displaced persons from neighboring countries who are granted permission to live in the Kingdom.
Authorities will pay fees relating to residency, work permits, changes of employment and employer, service transfer fees, profession amendment fees, and the costs to private sector businesses of employing the expatriate for a period of four years, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The Kingdom will also cover all fees previously incurred and any fines for violations of residency regulations by individuals and those accompanying them.
The decision was taken during the weekly meeting of the Council of Ministers, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah.
At the start of the session, the crown prince praised King Salman and the efforts of state agencies to provide services to the people of the country during Ramadan.
He then briefed the ministers on a message he received from Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed about ways in which relations between the countries might be supported and enhanced in various fields.
Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary said the Cabinet discussed ways to improve cooperation and coordination between the Kingdom and other countries to ensure alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The ministers hailed the launch of the GCC’s Vision for Regional Security, which aims to maintain stability in the region and ensure the prosperity of member nations.
Council members said the selection of the Kingdom to chair the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women in the UN in 2025 was testament to the country’s commitment to international cooperation on gender issues.
On the local front, the Cabinet reviewed the outcomes of the 31st annual meeting of the governors of Saudi Arabia’s regions, and stressed the desire to enhance development across the Kingdom.
Al-Dossary said the ministers noted the success of the government in providing education and jobs for the nation’s young people. This has helped reduce unemployment to 7.7 percent in the fourth quarter of last year, the lowest in the country’s history.
Cabinet members also praised state agencies for completing a project to support and protect 56 buildings at risk of collapse within the Jeddah Historic District.
The Cabinet also approved agreements with several countries.
The ministers approved a memorandum of understanding on political consultations between the foreign affairs ministries of the Kingdom and the Dominican Republic.
They further approved two memorandums of understanding with the Ministry of Justice in the Kingdom and its counterparts in North Macedonia and the Comoros.
They also authorized the minister of investment to sign a draft memorandum of understanding with San Marino.
The Cabinet ministers further authorized the minister of economy and planning to sign a draft economic cooperation agreement with Serbia.
They approved a memorandum of understanding between the Saudi government and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development for cooperation in public policy.
Another memorandum of understanding was approved between the Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority in the Kingdom and the Iraqi Authority for the Control of Radioactive Sources.
Two agreements with the governments of Barbados and Mali in the field of air transport services were also approved, along with a memorandum of understanding between the Saudi General Authority for Statistics and Bahrain’s Information and e-Government Authority.
The Cabinet further authorized a draft memorandum of understanding between the Presidency of State Security and Pakistan’s Military Intelligence Service on combating terrorism financing.
In addition, the Cabinet approved a memorandum of understanding between the Saline Water Conversion Corporation and the Korea Maritime and Ocean University in South Korea.
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