(SLENA, 1st February, 2022). Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Sierra Leone has concluded highly successful meetings with the Saudi Fund for Development and the King Salman Center for Humanitarian Aid and Relief in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Professor David J. Francis held a fruitful meeting with Dr. Sultan Al-Marshad, Chief Executive Director of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD). In the meeting, Dr. Al-Marshad reaffirmed SFD’s commitment to expedite the following projects:
(a)- The twenty-five Million United States Dollars ($25,000,000) Education Sector Support Project for the construction of four (4) Regional Model Schools, two (2) vocational institutes and an administrative building at the Ministry of Education in Freetown
(b)- The five million United States Dollars ($5,000,000) for the construction of 100 solar-powered bore holes for rural communities in 77 villages across Sierra Leone
(C)- The construction of the 150 beds King Salman Regional Referral Hospital project
In his statement, Professor David Francis commended SFD for funding the implementation of the Western Area Power Generation Project, the Kenema-Pendembu Road Reconstruction Project and the rehabilitation and expansion of Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone.
In another related development, the leadership of King Salman Center for Humanitarian Aid and Relief, has expressed consideration to support Sierra Leone’s School Feeding Programme (SFP) next academic year. Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister, Professor David Francis, made a case that the SFP is key to the success of the Government’s Free Quality Education programme, especially in the rural areas. The Advisor at the Royal Court and Supervisor General of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), Dr. Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Rabeeah advised that, the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), through the Sierra Leone Embassy in Saudi Arabia, present an indicative budget for the SFP for consideration at the King Salman Center for Humanitarian Aid and Relief.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Professor David J. Francis, was accompanied by the Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prince E.O Cole, Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the Kingdom Dr. Ibrahim Jalloh, the Director of Middle East & Asia of the Ministry Abdul Aziz Turay, the Director of Ministerial Follow-Up of the Ministry Abraham John, the First Secretary at the Sierra Leone Embassy in Saudi Arabia Mohamed Sulaiman Sankoh, and the Information Attaché at the Embassy Abubakarr Bah.
