The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chaired the Cabinet's session at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh on Monday afternoon.

The Cabinet began by congratulating King Salman on the second anniversary of his ascension to the throne.  The Cabinet then commended the State’s general budget for the fiscal year 2017; for its sufficient strength to cope with economic and financial challenges.

The Cabinet appreciated King Salman’s order to organize a popular campaign for the Syrian people relief of the Syrian people.  King Salman’s directive to allocate SR 100 million ($26.67 million) for the campaign and his personal SR 20 million ($5.33 million) donation.  The Cabinet also express its appreciation to the SR 10 million ($2.67 million) donation by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Naif and the SR 10 million ($2.67 million) Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s SR 8 million ($2.13 million) to alleviate the sufferings of Syrian people, especially the displaced from Aleppo.

King Salman briefed the Cabinet on the results of his two phone calls with King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan and President Abed Rabbo Hadi of Yemen, as well as his two meetings with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al-Quds Fund Muneeb Al-Masri, in addition to the messages received from King of Jordan; Emir of Kuwait and President of Comoros.

The Cabinet was briefed on a number of reports including the emergency meeting of the Executive Committee of Foreign Ministers of Organization of Islamic Cooperation that the massacres being committed in Aleppo, Syrian, can be classified as a war crime and crimes against humanity.

The Cabinet welcomed Security Council Resolution 2328 on the deployment of international observers in Aleppo to supervise the evacuation of civilians.

The Cabinet also discussed the outcome of the 97th OPEC meeting in Cairo and commitment by OPEC members to honor the November 2016 agreement on reducing oil production.

The Cabinet also reiterated the Kingdom's appreciation to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s statement on the final solution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, as well as the adoption by Security Council Resolution 2334, which condemns Israeli settlement and calls for stopping it in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The Council strong condemnation of the murder of Russia's Ambassador to Turkey, Andrey Karlov and the terror attack in Berlin, Germany, that resulted in the death of 12 people.  The Cabinet also the double terrorist bombing of a market in Baghdad and the attack in Istanbul.  The Cabinet offered its condolences to the families of the victims.

The Cabinet finally adjourned after discussing a number of domestic issues.

The Cabinet approved the security cooperation agreement with Djibouti signed in Riyadh on 10/07/1437 AH; approved the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Interior’s Saudi Financial Investigations Administration (SAFA) and the Financial Investigation Unit (FIU) of India as regards cooperation on the exchange of the investigations related to money laundering, terror financing and related crimes, signed in Riyadh on 25/06/1437 AH; approved MoU for cooperation in the field of renewable energy between King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy and China’s National Power Management, signed in Riyadh on 09/04/1437H.

The Cabinet approved the incentives and privileges offered to donors who purchase antiquities or masterpieces or special collections displayed in national museums; approved the regulatory provisions of the General Authority for Sports;

The Cabinet authorized the General Commission for Statistics to conduct the population general census for 2020.