JEDDAH: The president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH), Prince Sultan bin Salman, met with Denis Zvizdic, chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of Prince Sultan’s official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina at the invitation of the country’s president.

Zvizdic praised Saudi Arabia’s development under King Salman, saying Bosnia and Herzegovina is keen to strengthen bilateral cooperation in all fields.

Saudi Arabia is the most influential Muslim country in the world due it to its status and strong presence at international forums, Zvizdic added. 

“We count on Saudi Arabia’s continued political support for the stability of Bosnia,” he said, expressing his government’s appreciation for all the support provided by the Kingdom over the last 25 years.

More than 1.6 million tourists visited the country in the last year, and the figure is expected to rise in the next five years to 3 million, Zvizdic said.

Prince Sultan praised Bosnia and Herzegovina’s unity and stability, saying its most important component is its people.

“It is the Kingdom’s duty to support every Muslim country, and King Salman always emphasizes the importance of continuing and improving the areas of support and cooperation with Bosnia,” said Prince Sultan.

“The Kingdom is keen to cooperate with Bosnia through projects that aim to protect and restore historical buildings as part of King Salman’s cultural heritage program, which is being implemented by the SCTH,” Prince Sultan said.

Earlier, Bosnian President Bakir Izetbegovic and Prince Sultan toured the historical center of Sarajevo. During the tour, the joint delegation met Bosnian citizens and tourists of different nationalities. 

The prince and his delegation then attended a lunch banquet hosted by the president.