Saudi cabinet can convene even if king or crown prince are absent: royal decree

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. (File/SPA)
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Updated 08 August 2024
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Saudi cabinet can convene even if king or crown prince are absent: royal decree

  • In absence of the king, the crown prince or his deputies, cabinet would be chaired by eldest member of cabinet who is a descendent of Kingdom’s founding father

RIYADH:  Saudi Arabia’s King Salman issued a royal decree that allows the Cabinet to convene even if he or Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman do not chair it, Saudi Press Agency said on Thursday.

In the absence of the king, the crown prince or his deputies, the cabinet would be chaired by the eldest member of the cabinet who is a descendent of the Kingdom’s founding father King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al-Faisal Al-Saud. 

Cabinet decisions issued during the meeting would be signed by the chairman, the royal decree added.


Saudi foreign ministry welcomes second phase of Gaza peace plan, formation of transitional committee

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Saudi foreign ministry welcomes second phase of Gaza peace plan, formation of transitional committee

  • Ministry also thanked US President Donald Trump for his leadership and efforts to end the war in Gaza

RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday welcomed the announcement of the second phase of a comprehensive peace plan for Gaza, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The ministry said it also welcomed the formation of the Palestinian National Committee for the Administration of the Gaza Strip as a temporary transitional body, established under UN Security Council Resolution 2803, which met in Cairo on Friday.

In a statement, the ministry also thanked US President Donald Trump, who declared the formation of the Gaza “board of peace,” for his leadership and efforts to end the war in Gaza.

It highlighted his commitment to the withdrawal of Israeli forces, the prevention of any annexation of parts of the West Bank, and efforts to advance sustainable peace in the region.

The ministry commended the role of mediators Qatar, Egypt and Turkiye, stressing the importance of international and regional cooperation in supporting the peace process.

It underlined the need to support the work of the temporary Palestinian National Committee in managing the daily affairs of Gaza’s residents, while preserving the institutional and geographical link between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, ensuring Gaza’s unity and rejecting any attempts to divide it.

The statement also called for consolidating the ceasefire, halting violations, ensuring the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, and accelerating early recovery and reconstruction efforts across Gaza.

It said these steps were essential to enabling the Palestinian National Authority to resume its responsibilities in the Gaza Strip, leading to an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory in Gaza and the West Bank and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in line with UN resolutions, the Arab Peace Initiative and the two-state solution.