The Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ameer Ajwad participated in the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), one of Sri Lanka’s longstanding development partners, held at Ritz Carlton Hotel in Riyadh on 01 September 2024. The Founder and Trustee of the King Faisal Foundation Prince Turki bin Faisal Al Saud graced the event as a keynote speaker.
Established in 1974, the SFD is the main international development arm of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This year it commemorates five decades of driving sustainable global development and progress under the theme of “Celebrating 50 Years of Global Impact”. The SFD provides soft loans and grants to finance development projects and programmes to 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 1.5 billion Saudi Riyals (USD 438 million) as development assistance to Sri Lanka over the decades. Fifteen 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 in this historic event 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 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 the former Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of SFD Eng. Yousef bin Ibrahim Al-Bassam, who extended significant support for the development projects in Sri Lanka in the past. He also appreciated the very dynamic team of the SFD for their outstanding contribution of 50 years to create positive global impact and their unstinted support for the development projects in Sri Lanka. In addition, the Ambassador assured of his commitment to further enhancing collaboration between Sri Lanka and the SFD in the years ahead.
The grand gala dinner hosted by the SFD to mark its 50th anniversary was graced by Ministers, Heads of Regional and International Organizations, Ambassadors, representatives of the United Nations Organization and other distinguished guests.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Riyadh
12 September 2024
