Saudi Arabia: The Saudi Shoura Council on Tuesday held its 18th ordinary session in Riyadh under the chairmanship of deputy speaker, Mishaal bin Fahm Al-Salami.

During the meeting, the council discussed several draft memorandums of understanding and agreements.

Members approved a draft MoU between the Saudi government and the International Monetary Fund on the establishment of an IMF regional office in the Kingdom and support for the fund in capacity development.

A similar preliminary accord between the Saudi General Authority for Competition and its Egyptian counterpart organization on increased cooperation and combating monopolistic practices was also agreed.

In addition, a draft of an MoU on combating corruption, drawn up between the Saudi Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority and the National Anti-Corruption Commission of Thailand, was passed by the council.

Other draft memoranda approved by members included two between the governments of Saudi Arabia and South Africa for cooperation in the fields of social development, and maritime transport, an agreement with Egypt on fighting crime, and another on the Kingdom’s mutual recognition with Morocco of halal certificates for local products.