RIYADH : Sri Lanka Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ameer Ajwad participated at the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Saudi Fund For Development (SFD), one of the longstanding development partners of Sri Lanka, held at Ritz Carlton Hotel in Riyadh on 1st September 2024. HRH Prince Turki bin Faisal Al Saud, Founder and Trustee of the King Faisal Foundation graced the event as a keynote speaker.
The SFD which was established in 1974, is the main international development arm of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and this year it is commemorating its five decades of driving sustainable global development and progress under the theme of “Celebrating 50 Years of Global Impact”. SFD provides soft loans and grants to finance development projects and programs in developing countries with a view to improving the living standards of disadvantaged communities and supporting countries most in need.
The Saudi Fund for Development has provided a total amount of concessional soft loan assistance worth of 1.5 billion Saudi Riyals (US $ 438 Million) as development assistance to Sri Lanka over the decades. Fifteen (15) different development projects including Colombo Water Supply and Sewerage Project (1981), Kinniya bridge the longest bridge in Sri Lanka, Nero Trauma unit at the Colombo national hospital, Kalu Ganga Development Project, Medical Faculty for Sabragamuwa University, Wayamba University Township, Peradeniya – Badulla – Chenkaladi Road were funded by the SFD under their global development assistance programme.
Participating at this historic event of the SFD, Ambassador Ameer Ajwad conveyed the gratitude of the Government of Sri Lanka to the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdul Azeez and His Royal Highness Crown Prince and the Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdul Azeez for their unwavering support in vital areas of development projects in Sri Lanka over the years. Ambassador Ameer Ajwad also took the opportunity to extend his felicitation and appreciation to the Chairman of the SFD and the Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia Ahmed Aqeel Al-Khateeb, the CEO of the SFD Sultan Abdulrahman Al-Marshad, as well as Eng. Yousef bin Ibrahim Al-Bassam former SFD Vice-Chairman and Managing Director who extended great support for the development projects in Sri Lanka in the past, as well as the very dynamic team of the SFD on their outstanding achievement of 50 years of global impact and their unstinted support for the development projects in Sri Lanka. Ambassador also assured his continued commitment to further enhance collaboration between Sri Lanka and the SFD in the years ahead.
The grand Gala Dinner hosted by SFD to mark the 50th anniversary celebrations were graced by ministers, heads of regional and international organizations, ambassadors, representatives of the United Nations organizations and other distinguished guests.
