Sierra Leone Ambassador Mohamed Barrie Meets Saudi Fund Chief to Boost Development Projects
Alusine Ahmed Kargbo Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, H.E. Mr Mohamed Barrie, has met with the Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), H.E. Mr Sultan Abdulrahman Al-Marshad, to discuss ways of strengthening development cooperation between the two countries.
The meeting took place at the Saudi Fund for Development headquarters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and focused on accelerating key projects supported by the Fund in Sierra Leone.
One of the main issues discussed was the Riyadh Referral Hospital project, a 150-bed specialist hospital valued at US$50 million and funded by the Saudi Fund for Development. The project is expected to improve access to quality healthcare services in Sierra Leone.
During the meeting, Ambassador Barrie formally presented information about the revised location for the hospital project and discussed future areas of cooperation.
Mr Al-Marshad welcomed the Ambassador’s visit and highlighted progress being made on SFD-supported projects in Sierra Leone. He said about 80% of ongoing projects are close to completion, including education projects, while borehole drilling activities are also progressing.
Both sides agreed to continue working together in key areas such as health, education, energy, and mining.
The Saudi Fund for Development also expressed interest in supporting new energy and mining projects in Sierra Leone. Ambassador Barrie said he would work with relevant ministries to identify suitable projects for future support.
The Ambassador thanked the Saudi Fund for its continued partnership and reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s commitment to ensuring that development projects are delivered effectively and transparently.
The meeting ended with both parties expressing hope that the Riyadh Referral Hospital and other projects will contribute to improving services and the lives of people in Sierra Leone.