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  • SSC Charter

SSC Charter

Charter for the Saudi Space Commission

Established by Council of Ministers Resolution No. (209) dated 25/4/1440H

First:

The following terms and phrases, wherever mentioned in the Charter herein, shall have the designated meanings hereunder:

• Charter: Governing framework for the Saudi Space Commission

• SSC: Saudi Space Commission

• BoD: Board of Directors of SSC

• Chair: Chairperson of BoD

Second:

SSC is a legal entity enjoying financial and administrative autonomy. It shall report directly to the Prime Minister. Its head office shall be in the city of Riyadh and may establish branches or offices both domestically or internationally, as needed:

Third:

SSC aims at organizing and developing all that is related to the space sector while ensuring the interests of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its welfare, enhancing security and protection from any sector-related risks, encouraging and stimulating research and industrial activities related to space, and developing national cadres specialized in the field. SSC shall, without prejudice to the jurisdiction and responsibilities of the other parties, undertake the following tasks and responsibilities:

  1. Develop plans, policies and programs related to the space sector.
  2. Implement a National Space Strategy.
  3. Organize and develop satellite systems, including satellites for space communications services and data gathering on the Earth’s surface and the environment.
  4. Organize and develop global navigation satellite systems for positioning, motion and time.
  5. Develop spacecraft launch technology and related services.
  6. Promote space security through space observation and tracking, space debris monitoring, early warning and other related activities. Establish requirements for the development and implementation of space sector infrastructure and operation, including ground stations, space transport vehicles and suborbital spaceflights.
  7. Organize missions related to space science and exploration.
  8. Develop and support national cadres in the field of space science.
  9. Cooperate with governmental agencies and parallel agencies in other countries, and international organizations within their specializations, as per regulatory procedures.
  10. Represent the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in international forums within its specialization.

 

Fourth:

1. SSC shall have a Board of Directors composed of a Chair appointed by Royal Decree and with membership of:

a. No less than five members representing government agencies related to the work of SSC, each holding a rank of no less than grade fourteen or equivalent.
b. Three specialists with experience in the fields related to the work of SSC.

Parties stipulated per Paragraph 1-A and parties appointed per 1-B shall be determined by Ministerial Council Resolution based on a proposal by the Chair. Membership shall run for a term of three years, renewable once.

2. The remuneration of members shall be determined by a Resolution of the Council of Ministers.

Fifth:

BoD shall be the authority in charge of managing SSC and running its affairs, and shall make all decisions to achieve SSC objectives, and shall in particular:

  1. Set the general policies relating to the activities of SSC, and the plans and programs necessary to implement them.
  2. Approve the proposed national space strategy and submit it in accordance with the established procedures.
  3. Propose regulations within SSC’s domain, propose amendments to regulations already in force and submit them in preparation for their adoption as per established procedures.
  4. Approve administrative, financial, internal and all other regulations necessary for SSC workflow, in coordination with the Ministry of Finance.
  5. Approve SSC organizational structure.
  6. Approve the establishment of SSC branches and offices both domestically or and internationally.
  7. Approve the SSC proposed annual budget, its final statement and the annual report, in preparation for its approval as per regulatory procedures.
  8. Approve SSC establishment of companies or contribute to them in order to achieve SSC objectives, as per regulatory procedures.
  9. Approve the investment of SSC funds to achieve its objectives, as per regulations and instructions.
  10. Utilize Draw on think tanks, experts and consultants, in order to achieve SSC objectives.
  11. Appoint external auditor and internal auditor.
  12. Approve the conclusion of agreements and contracts, as per regulatory procedures.
  13. Accept contributions, donations, grants, bequests and endowments as per governing provisions.
  14. Adopt periodic reports submitted concerning SSC workflow.

 

BoD may, in order to achieve these undertakings, form permanent or temporary committees of its members or others. BoD will have the authority to decide on the committee as well as on its chair, its members and its purview. These committees will have the right to outsource services as needed to perform tasks entrusted to them.

BoD also reserves the right to delegate some of its functions to its Chair, or any of its members.

Sixth:

  1. BoD meetings shall be held at SSC headquarters, presided by the Chair or appointee that is a representative of a government agency, and may be held elsewhere in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as deemed necessary.
  2. BoD shall hold its meetings periodically at least four times a year and whenever necessary. The Chair may call for a meeting when the need arises or when such request is put forth by at least one third of BoD members. The meeting shall be convened by the Chair in writing, at least seven days in advance, provided that the call for the meeting includes the agenda.
  3. BoD meeting shall be deemed valid if attended by a majority of the members, including the Chair or appointee. Decisions shall be made by a majority vote of those present. In case of a tie, the Chair shall hold the casting vote.
  4. BoD deliberations and decisions shall be recorded in minutes signed by the Chair and the members present.
  5. A BoD member shall not abstain from voting. A member may not vote by proxy, and member may state his/her objection and grounds therefore in the minutes.
  6. A member may not disclose any confidential information s/he were privy to by virtue of board membership, even after expiration of membership.
  7. BoD may allow specialists and consultants to attend meetings without having the right to vote.

 

Seventh:
SSC shall have a Chief Executive Officer appointed and relieved of the BoD. The resolution shall determine the CEO’s salary and financial benefits. The CEO shall be responsible for the management of SSC affairs. These responsibilities shall be within the limits stipulated in the Charter and BoD decisions and as follows:

  1. Oversee SSC workflow as per approved regulations, plans and programs.
  2. Propose general policies related to SSC competences, and plans and programs necessary for their implementation, submit them to the BoD and oversee their implementation upon BoD approval.
  3. Supervise the preparation of the proposed national space strategy and submit it to the BoD.
  4. Appoint and supervise SSC employees as per regulations.
  5. Disbursement from the approved budget and take all financial procedures in accordance with the approved laws and regulations and powers delegated to the CEO by the BoD.
  6. Propose SSC organizational structure, financial, administrative and internal regulations, and other regulations necessary for SSC workflow, and submit them to the BoD.
  7. Prepare reports on the implementation of SSC plans and programs and submit them to the BoD.
  8. Submit proposals to BoD on matters within SSC jurisdiction.
  9. Prepare SSC draft annual budget, draft final account, and the annual report, for submission to the BoD.
  10. Represent SSC before the courts, and government agencies, institutions and other relevant bodies, as well as other bodies whether inside or outside the Kingdom and reserves the right to delegate such representation.
  11. Sign agreements and contracts, after BoD approval.
  12. Any other undertaking assigned by BoD or SSC regulations.

CEO may delegate some of his/her powers and responsibilities to any SSC employee.

Eighth:

  1. SSC financial resources shall consist of the following :

a. Allocations in State budget
b. Contributions, donations and grants, bequests and endowments accepted by BoD.
c. Returns on investments of its funds ;
d. Any other resource approved by BoD not in violation of regulations and instructions.

  1. SSC funds shall be deposited in the current account of the Ministry of Finance of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency.
  2. SSC shall open an account at the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency and shall open other accounts in any of the licensed banks within the Kingdom. Disbursements shall be made from such accounts as per SSC budget.

 

Ninth:

  1. SSC shall have an independent annual budget.
  2. The fiscal year of SSC shall be that of the State, with the exception of the first fiscal year commencing on the date of the issuance of the Charter and ending at the end of the next fiscal year of the State.

 

Tenth:
Without prejudice to the power of the General Auditing Bureau to the audit of SSC accounts and transactions, BoD shall appoint one or more external auditors with licensees to work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to audit its accounts, transactions, statements, annual budget, and final accounts. BoD shall determine their remuneration. The auditor report shall be submitted to BoD and a copy thereof shall be furnished to the General Auditing Bureau.

Eleven:
SSC employees shall be subject to the provisions of the Labor Law and the Social Insurance Law.