Saudi Arabia supports SL development agenda

Saudi Arabia has pledged to support Sri Lanka’s economic development agenda, including assistance for the post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Northern and Eastern Provinces, high ranking Saudi Arabian Government officials have told Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama during his official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on May 9-10, 2009.

The Foreign Minister, Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, HRH Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Foreign Minister, HRH Prince Saud Al-Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Minister of Finance and Chairman of the Saudi Fund for Development, Dr. Ibrahim Abdulaziz Al-Assaf, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Abdulrahman Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah and the Chairman of the Kingdom Holdings Group, HRH Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud during his stay in Riyadh. The Saudi dignitaries expressed the support to the ongoing efforts of the Sri Lankan Government to eradicate terrorism, so that the country could move forward and focus attention on the economic agenda.

At the meeting with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Saud Al-Faizal, Minister Bogollagama thanked Saudi Arabia for the stand taken by the Saudi Government and the understanding and solidarity expressed on Sri Lanka’s humanitarian mission to defeat terrorism.

Saudi Arabia expressed interest in extending assistance to Sri Lanka to deal with the ongoing relief efforts, especially to support the post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Northern as well as the Eastern Provinces.

The Minister invited a delegation from the SFD to visit Sri Lanka so that they could have a first hand assessment of the urgent needs and requirements for the IDPs in the welfare villages as well as the long term needs of reconstruction and rehabilitation.

While thanking the Saudi Government for the employment opportunities provided to Sri Lankans, the Minister also discussed welfare issues, including issues relating to the exchange of prisoners. It was agreed that the two centuries may explore the possibility of entering into a reciprocal agreement on this subject.

An important subject that came up for discussion was the need to have bilateral visits between the two countries and in this context, the two sides would work on the invitation extended to President Mahinda Rajapaksa to visit Saudi Arabia on mutually convenient dates in the near future. The two sides agreed to work closely in order to follow up on the decisions made to strengthen links between Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka.