Sri Lankan Ambassador congratulates Saudi Fund for Development on 50th anniversary festivities

Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, O. L. Ameer Ajwad congratulated the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), Sri Lanka’s long-term development partner, on its 50^th anniversary celebrations during a meeting with SFD’s CEO Sultan Abdulrahman Al-Marshad. The anniversary was commemorated under the theme “Celebrating 50 Years of Global Impact”. Deputy CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development Eng. Faizal M. Al-Kahtani and Minister / Head of Chancery of the Embassy Mohamed Anas also joined the meeting.

Ambassador Ameer Ajwad conveyed his congratulations and appreciation to the CEO Sultan Al-Marshad and the dedicated staff of the SFD for their remarkable achievement of 50 years of global impact and their unwavering support for development projects in Sri Lanka. He also expressed the Government of Sri Lanka’s gratitude to the SFD for consistently funding ongoing projects in Sri Lanka, despite the recent economic challenges in the country. Ambassador recalled his previous collaboration with the SFD during his tenure in the Kingdom from 2000 to 2003, where they worked on projects such as the Kinniya bridge, the longest bridge in Sri Lanka, and the Nero Trauma unit at the Colombo national hospital. He also pledged to continue fostering collaboration between Sri Lanka and the SFD in the future.

CEO Sultan Al-Marshad warmly welcomed Ambassador Ameer Ajwad to the Kingdom and thanked him for his kind words. He reiterated the Saudi Fund’s commitment to supporting Sri Lanka’s development programs.

Established in 1974, the SFD is the primary international development agency of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, providing soft loans and grants to finance development projects in developing countries, aiming to improve the living standards of disadvantaged communities and support countries in need.

The Saudi Fund for Development has provided concessional soft loan assistance worth a total of 1.5 billion Saudi Riyals (US $ 438 Million) as development aid to Sri Lanka over the years. Fifteen different development projects, including Colombo Water Supply and Sewerage Project (1981), Kinniya bridge, Nero Trauma unit at the Colombo national hospital, Kalu Ganga Development Project, Medical Faculty of Sabaragamuwa University, Wayamba University Township, and Peradeniya – Badulla – Chenkaladi Road, have been funded by the SFD under their global development assistance program. These contributions from the SFD continue to be instrumental in advancing key development projects in Sri Lanka.