HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister chairs the weekly Cabinet Meeting
His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, today chaired the weekly Cabinet Meeting at Gudaibiya Palace.
The Cabinet highlighted the importance of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s address, delivered by the Deputy Prime Minister, HE Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, at the 146th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly and its related meetings, held in the Kingdom of Bahrain, under the patronage of HM the King.
Additionally, the Cabinet expressed pride in the IPU choosing the Kingdom of Bahrain to host the largest and oldest international parliamentary gatherings and commended the efforts of the Shura and Representatives Councils, the National Organising Committee, and the relevant authorities on the success of hosting this important international gathering.
In preparation for the upcoming blessed month of Ramadan, HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister called for doubling the financial support for eligible individuals on social security and disability allowances and directed the Ministry of Social Development to disburse the financial assistance.
In light of a memorandum submitted by the Ministerial Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs and Fiscal Balance, the Cabinet reviewed the urgent plans and procedures which were implemented by relevant authorities, following the directives of HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to stabilise the prices and availability of commodities, to account for changes in global markets. Further to this, the Cabinet decided to extend fee waivers for industrial lands allocated for food storage facilities for an additional month. The period of suspended fees will now span four months.
HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister further directed the Ministry of Industry and Trade to intensify inspection campaigns to monitor the stability of prices. The inspections are designed to ensure the abundance of consumer goods ahead of the holy month of Ramadan.
The Cabinet welcomed the joint tripartite statement by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran, mediated by the People’s Republic of China, resuming Saudi-Iranian diplomatic relations. Moreover, the Cabinet expressed its appreciation for China’s initiative to host and sponsor the Saudi-Iranian talks, complementing the Iraqi and Omani diplomatic efforts, and commended Saudi Arabia’s leading role in supporting security, peace and stability, as well as pursuing diplomacy to resolve regional and international disputes.
The Cabinet discussed several memorandums during the meeting, approving the following:
1. A memorandum submitted by the Ministerial Committee for Social Services regarding the operation of social centres during the evening hours, enhancing their role by holding various activities that benefit citizens and society.
2. A memorandum submitted by the Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs, and Waqf regarding the establishment and operation of an Accounts and Property Disclosure Office.
3. A memorandum submitted by the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs regarding the government’s response to three proposals submitted by the Council of Representatives.
The Cabinet also reviewed a memorandum of the Ministerial Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs and Fiscal Balance on the latest developments in the Kingdom’s performance and competitiveness in international reports and indicators, which revealed an improvement in the Kingdom’s regional and international classification across many indicators.
In addition, the Cabinet noted the following ministerial reports:
– The meetings held by the Minister of Foreign Affairs on the 146th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union held in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
– The outcomes of the Fifth UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries
– Participation in the 159th session of the Arab League (AL) Council
– Participation in CERAWeek 2023
– Participation in the Internationale Tourismus Börse (ITB) in Berlin
– The calendar of events in Bahrain from March to May 2023
