NEOM — The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the establishment of "General Authority for Defense Development", which enjoys legal entity and financial and administrative independence and is linked to the Prime Minister.

The Authority defines the objectives of research, development and innovation activities related to the fields of technology and defense systems as well as setting its policies and strategies.

Headed by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, the Cabinet reiterated Saudi Arabia’s continuous work with the United Nations to bring peace to Yemen, as this is a priority for the Kingdom, with holding its full right to defend its security and citizens in accordance with international humanitarian law and its customary rules.

The Cabinet stressed the contents of the Permanent Mission of Saudi Arabia to the United Nation’s letter sent to the UN Security Council in regard to the latest attack committed by the terrorist Iran-backed Houthi Militia against the Eastern Province, Jazan and Najran in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

It called upon the Security Council to assume its responsibility towards the Iran-backed Houthi militias and their weapons supplier and to deny the resources, which fund their cross-border acts of aggression that threaten international peace and security and undermine international efforts to reach a comprehensive political solution in Yemen.

The Cabinet reviewed the latest developments of the COVID-19 pandemic locally and globally, as well as the latest statistics and indexes of the health situation in the Kingdom in light of the decrease in COVID-19 cases and the increase in the number of citizens and residents receiving the vaccine, where the total number of administered vaccine doses is about 40 million.

The Cabinet approved a technical linkage among the Ministry of Interior; the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing, and the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) for exchanging information and data related to neglected or damaged vehicles — at the public squares, parking lots, streets or roads — and their owners in order to verify no security restrictions before taking any measure regarding these vehicles.

The Cabinet approved Anti-Begging system. It approved that the Saudi Ports Authority — in agreement with the Public Investment Fund — to undertake marine infrastructure projects in order to develop the cruise ship sector in the Kingdom.