JEDDAH: The Council of Ministers yesterday decided to develop a national strategy for preserving biological diversity involving the protection of all kinds of species, natural locations, hereditary resources and training manpower for its development. The existing National Committee for Biodiversity should develop the strategy, Culture and Information Minister Iyad Madani said in a statement to the Saudi Press Agency after the weekly meeting of the Council of Ministers.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, who chaired the council meeting at the Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah, said that the national committee should also prepare a database on the Kingdom’s biodiversity and classify all known types of environments, their geographical locations, their history and changes that they have undergone or that may take place. The Council of Ministers ordered the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development to set up a National Committee for the Program of Man and the Biosphere to undertake the preservation of biodiversity including identifying the locations for establishing biosphere reserves.
The Cabinet authorized the chief of the Presidency of Meteorology and Environmental Protection to sign an agreement on environmental protection with Jordan.
King Abdullah briefed the council about his meetings with King Muhammad VI of Morocco, King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. “King Abdullah stressed the significance of cordial relations with brotherly Arab countries and the need for joint efforts to counter the current challenges faced by the Arab world,” Madani said in his statement.
Gravest challenges
“Regional tensions can be ended only with good will and united action, adopting a style of dialogue and mutual understanding without resorting to unilateral actions that would invite reactions serving the interests of none,” the minister quoted the king as saying.
The council of ministers identified the issues in Palestine, Iraq, Darfur, the Horn of Africa, Mauritania and the Gulf as the gravest challenges facing the Arab world, the minister said.
The council also discussed reports on how to improve the performance level of various sectors such as health, transport, education, water and electricity.
The Cabinet approved appointments of Usman bin Abdullah Al-Abdul Jabbar as adviser of girls education at the Ministry of Education, Abdullah bin Muhammad Al-Suwayyid as undersecretary at Jizan Governorate and Muhammad bin Suleiman Al-Muallem as assistant undersecretary for mining investment at the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, the minister said.
