The following words and phrases - wherever they appear in these arrangements - shall have the meanings specified next to each:

Arrangements: The organizational arrangements of the Saudi Conventions and Exhibitions General Authority.

The Authority: The Saudi Conventions and Exhibitions General Authority.

The Council: The Board of Directors of the Authority.

The President: The President of the Council.

Exhibitions and Conferences: Exhibitions, conferences, seminars, meetings, forums, lectures, institutional meetings, meetings of associations and international organizations, training courses, and workshops; which are held outside the usual place of work, and auctions conducted by the private sector and the non-profit sector.

The authority enjoys legal personality and financial and administrative independence, and is organizationally linked to the President of the Council of Ministers. Its main headquarters is located in the city of Riyadh, and it has the right to establish branches or offices within the Kingdom as needed.

The Authority aims to elevate the exhibitions and conferences sector in all its elements, components, and capabilities, to organize, develop, and enhance its role in the national economy, increase its effectiveness, and overcome the obstacles to its growth; in accordance with the best global practices, and it has, in particular - without limitation - the following:

1- Developing plans, policies, and programs related to the exhibitions and conferences sector.

2- Issuing the necessary approvals for government entities to hold exhibitions and conferences.

3- Issuing the necessary licenses for non-governmental entities to hold exhibitions and conferences.

4- Monitoring all activities that fall within the exhibitions and conferences sector.

5- Coordinating with relevant entities regarding encouraging investment in the exhibitions and conferences sector, and providing related incentives and information.

6- Working to highlight the Kingdom as an attractive destination for holding exhibitions and conferences, in coordination with relevant entities.

7- Qualifying national cadres in the field of exhibitions and conferences, training them, and developing their skills.

8- Working to attract international exhibitions and conferences, developing local exhibitions and conferences, supporting them, and creating exhibitions and conferences that reflect the identity of the Kingdom.

9- Providing technical support to government entities and similar bodies in other countries, and participating in international organizations and associations related to its competencies, in accordance with regulatory procedures.

11- Representing the Kingdom in international forums related to its competencies.

12- Preparing studies and research related to the exhibitions and conferences sector.

1- The authority shall have a Board of Directors composed of a President appointed by a royal decree, and the membership shall include:

• A- No less than (four) members representing government entities related to the work of the authority, with each member holding a rank of no less than (fourteenth) or its equivalent, and the membership of these entities shall be for a period of (three) years, renewable.

• B- Three specialists with experience in fields related to the work of the authority, with each member's term lasting (three) years, renewable once.

2- A decree shall be issued by the President of the Council of Ministers to specify the entities mentioned in paragraph (A/1) and to appoint the members referred to in paragraph (B/1) based on a proposal from the President.

The Council is the dominant authority in managing the affairs of the Authority and conducting its matters, and it makes all necessary decisions to achieve its objectives, and it has, in particular, the following:

1- Approving the general policies related to the Authority's activities, and the plans and programs necessary for their implementation.

2- Approving the draft strategy for the conference and exhibition industry, and submitting it for adoption according to the applicable legal procedures.

3- Proposing draft laws related to the Authority's competencies, and proposing amendments to the existing ones, and submitting them for adoption according to the applicable legal procedures.

4- Approving the administrative, financial, and internal regulations, and other regulations necessary for the operation of the Authority, provided that the approval of the administrative and financial regulations is in agreement with the Ministry of Finance.

5- Approving the rules and regulations governing the granting of approvals and licenses necessary for holding exhibitions and conferences.

6- Establishing the plans and controls necessary to incentivize organizers and owners of exhibitions and conferences.

7- Approving the controls and conditions governing the establishment and development of centers and sites for exhibitions and conferences.

8- Approving the organizational structure of the Authority.

9- Approving the establishment of branches and offices for the Authority.

10- Determining the financial fees for the licenses, services, and works provided by the Authority.

11- Approving the draft annual budget for the Authority, its final account, and the annual report, in preparation for their adoption according to the legal procedures.

12- Seeking assistance from research and planning centers, consulting firms, experts, and consultants.

13- Appointing an external auditor and an internal financial controller.

14- Approving the conclusion of agreements and contracts, according to the legal procedures.

15- Accepting gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and endowments in accordance with the governing provisions.

16- Approving the periodic reports submitted to it regarding the progress of the Authority's work.

17- Approving the Authority's participation in specialized international organizations and associations, according to the legal procedures.

To achieve these competencies, the Council may form permanent or temporary committees from among its members or others, assigning to them tasks it deems appropriate, and specifying in the decision to form each committee its chairperson, members, and competencies, and the committees may seek assistance from whoever they deem necessary to perform the assigned tasks.

The Council may also delegate some of its competencies to its chairperson or to any of its members as it sees fit.

1- The Council meetings are held at the headquarters of the Authority, chaired by the President or his delegate from the representatives of government entities, and may, when necessary, be held at another location within the Kingdom.

2- The Council holds its meetings periodically at least four times a year, and the President may call for a meeting whenever necessary or upon the request of at least one-third of the members. The invitation to the meeting shall be sent by the President in writing at least seven days prior to the meeting, and the invitation shall include the agenda.

3- A Council meeting is valid if attended by at least the majority of the members, including the President or his delegate, and decisions are made by a majority of the votes of those present. In the event of a tie, the side that the President of the meeting voted for shall prevail.

4- The deliberations and decisions of the Council are recorded in minutes signed by the President of the meeting and the attending members.

5- A member of the Council may not abstain from voting or delegate another member to vote on his behalf in his absence. The dissenting member has the right to record his objection and the reasons for the objection in the minutes of the Council meeting.

6- A member of the Council may not disclose any information he has obtained regarding the secrets of the Authority due to his membership in the Council, even after the expiration of his membership.

7- The Council may invite those it deems necessary from specialists and consultants to attend its meetings, without them having the right to vote.

The Authority shall have a Chief Executive Officer appointed and relieved from his position by a decision of the Council, and the appointment decision shall specify his salary and financial benefits. He shall be responsible for managing the affairs of the Authority, and his responsibilities shall be limited to what is stipulated in the arrangements and what the Council decides. He shall undertake the following competencies and tasks:

1- Supervising the workflow in the Authority through the approved regulations, plans, and programs.

2- Proposing general policies related to the Authority's activities, and the necessary plans and programs for their implementation, and submitting them to the Council, and following up on their implementation after approval.

3- Supervising the preparation of the draft strategy for the conference and exhibition industry, and submitting it to the Council.

4- Appointing employees in the Authority in accordance with the regulations, supervising them, and terminating their services.

5- Disbursing from the approved budget, and taking all financial procedures in accordance with the approved systems and regulations and the powers delegated to him by the Council.

6- Proposing the organizational structure of the Authority and the financial, administrative, and internal regulations, and other necessary regulations for the operation of the Authority, and submitting them to the Council.

7- Preparing periodic reports on the progress of the Authority's work and presenting them to the Council.

8- Submitting recommendations to the Council regarding internal matters within the Authority's jurisdiction.

9- Preparing the draft annual budget of the Authority and its final account project, and its annual report, and submitting them to the Council.

10- Representing the Authority before the judiciary, and with government agencies, institutions, and other relevant bodies, and other entities inside and outside the Kingdom. He may delegate others in this regard.

11- Signing agreements and contracts, after obtaining the Council's approval.

12- Any other competencies assigned to him by the Council or the specific regulations of the Authority.

The Chief Executive Officer may delegate some of his competencies and tasks to whomever he sees fit among the Authority's staff.

1- The resources of the Authority consist of the following:

• A- What is allocated to it in the state’s general Budget.

• B- The financial counterpart for the licenses, services, and works it provides.

• C- What the Council accepts in terms of gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and endowments.

• D- Any other resource approved by the Council that does not violate the regulations and instructions.

2- All revenues of the Authority shall be deposited in a current account at the Ministry of Finance in the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority.

3- The Authority shall open an account for itself at the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority, and it may open other accounts at any of the banks licensed in the Kingdom, and disbursements from these accounts shall be made in accordance with the approved budget of the Authority.

1- The Authority shall have an annual budget.

2- The financial year of the Authority is the same as the financial year of the State. Exceptionally, the first financial year shall commence from the date of issuance of the arrangements and shall end at the conclusion of the following financial year of the State.

Without prejudice to the authority of the General Auditing Bureau to oversee the accounts and operations of the Authority, the Council shall appoint an external auditor (or more) from those licensed to operate in the Kingdom, to audit its accounts, transactions, data, annual budget, and final account, and the Council shall determine their fees. The auditor's report shall be submitted to the Council, and a copy shall be provided to the General Auditing Bureau.