RIYADH: The Council of Ministers yesterday decided to extend the term of existing municipal councils to two more years from Oct. 31, 2009. It also assigned the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs to prepare a separate law for municipal councils.
The Cabinet meeting, which was presided over by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, took the decisions in light of a study conducted by the ministry on municipal elections and the performance of municipal councils in the country.
“The Council of Ministers agreed to change bylaws relating to municipal councils from the Municipality Law that was passed on 21/2/1397 (about 33 years ago) and enact a special law for municipal councils, matching the state’s expectations in expanding the participation of citizens in local administration,” the Saudi Press Agency said, quoting the Cabinet.
In a recent statement, Prince Mansour bin Miteb, deputy minister for municipal and rural affairs, hinted that the government would allow women to vote in municipal elections, which were previously scheduled for 2009.
Prince Mansour said a special committee would study a proposal made by municipality officials in Dammam at a meeting on women’s vote. Only men eligible to vote participated in municipal elections in 2005, which were the first nationwide polls held in the Kingdom. The election for half of the seats on the councils was part of a series of reforms introduced by King Abdullah. The king earlier briefed ministers on the outcome of his talks with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Referring to the conference on intellectual security that was opened by Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Prince Naif in Riyadh on Sunday, the Cabinet said it would make an appraisal of the Kingdom’s successful experience in counseling and awareness programs that have helped militants and extremists change views.
The Cabinet voiced its satisfaction over Saudi Arabia’s re-election to the UN Human Rights Council. “This election for the second time is the fruit of King Abdullah’s call to establish bridges of dialogue and cooperation with other nations, the Kingdom’s vital role at regional and international levels, its keenness to deepen principles of justice and equality and ensuring human rights and freedom,” it added.
Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal has been authorized to sign the agreement on the GCC Monetary Union.
The Cabinet appointed Abdul Aziz Turkistani as ambassador, Shadeed bin Hamid Al-Sahli and Abdul Rahman bin Suleiman Al-Bassam as ministers plenipotentiary at the Foreign Ministry, and Ibrahim bin Mohammed Al-Khalil as mayor of Baha.
