RIYADH: Sierra Leone and the Kingdom recently signed a cooperation agreement in Jeddah to help improve the standard of living in the African country.
“Sierra Leonean President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma is expected to send a letter soon to thank the Saudi government for the assistance,” said Ambassador Alhaji Mohammed Sillah Kargbo.
The Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank (IDB) fosters the economic development and social progress of member countries in accordance with Islamic law.
The agreement was signed by IDB President Ahmad Mohamed Ali and Sierra Leone’s Minister of Finance and Economic Development Momodu Lamin Kargbo who visited the Kingdom last week.
Speaking on the occasion, Kargbo cited the “significant contribution of the bank to development in Sierra Leone, which expresses its eagerness to strengthen its cooperation with the IDB.”
“On behalf of Sierra Leonean President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, I express my country’s eagerness to ramp up collaboration with the IDB and affirm our commitment in supporting its developmental mission,” Kargbo said.
For his part, Dr. Ali expressed appreciation to the Sierra Leonean president for his country’s “major economic programs focused on stability, peace building, infrastructure support, social harmony, and agricultural development.”
He added that IDB will continue to work with Sierra Leone to implement development programs across the country, and will enhance the health and agriculture sectors, and expand and improve road, water, and power networks in remote areas.
The Sierra Leonean finance minister was accompanied by Kawusu Kebbay, director for development and coordination at the ministry.
President-elect Dr. Bandar Hajjar, who was the former minister of Haj, was also present during the signing ceremony.
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Sierra Leone, Kingdom sign cooperation agreement
Sierra Leone, Kingdom sign cooperation agreement
Iranian ambassador thanks Saudi for not allowing territory to be used during
- Alireza Enayati tells AFP Iran appreciates Kingdom's pledge not to allow its 'airspace, waters, or territory' to be used in US attacks
- Envoy also denies that his country hit the US embassy in Riyadh this week with drones
RIYADH: Iran’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia Alireza Enayati said on Thursday his country remained appreciative of Saudi Arabia’s pledge to not allow its airspace or territory to be used during the ongoing war with the US and Israel.
“We appreciate what we have repeatedly heard from Saudi Arabia — that it does not allow its airspace, waters, or territory to be used against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he told AFP.
Before the outbreak of war, Riyadh had thrown its support behind diplomatic efforts to diffuse tensions between Tehran and Washington and vowed that its airspace would not be allowed to be used for attacks against Iran.
Enayati also categorically denied that his country hit the US embassy in Riyadh this week, after Saudi officials said Iran targeted the compound with drones.
Saudi Arabia has repeatedly accused Tehran of launching missile salvos and drone attacks at its territory and warned that the kingdom reserved the right to defend itself, including by retaliating.
Iran had earlier denied attacking the sprawling Ras Tanura refinery — one of the largest in the Middle East — which Riyadh had also accused Tehran of targeting twice with drones.
Enayati added to the denial, saying Iran also had no hand in the targeting of the US embassy that triggered a fire at the compound.
“We confirmed that Iran has no role in the attack on the US embassy in Riyadh,” the ambassador told AFP.
“If the operations command in Tehran attacks somewhere, it takes responsibility for it.”
The war in the Middle East has engulfed the otherwise stable Gulf region as Iran retaliates over US and Israeli strikes that killed its supreme leader, launching strikes at Israel, the wider region and beyond.
At least 13 people have been killed in the Gulf, including seven civilians, since Iran began its attacks on Saturday.
Enayati, however, denied that Iran was waging a regional war as retaliation for the attacks on his country by the US and Israel.
“This is not a regional war and it is not our war. It was imposed on the region,” he told AFP.
“We appreciate what we have repeatedly heard from Saudi Arabia — that it does not allow its airspace, waters, or territory to be used against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he told AFP.
Before the outbreak of war, Riyadh had thrown its support behind diplomatic efforts to diffuse tensions between Tehran and Washington and vowed that its airspace would not be allowed to be used for attacks against Iran.
Enayati also categorically denied that his country hit the US embassy in Riyadh this week, after Saudi officials said Iran targeted the compound with drones.
Saudi Arabia has repeatedly accused Tehran of launching missile salvos and drone attacks at its territory and warned that the kingdom reserved the right to defend itself, including by retaliating.
Iran had earlier denied attacking the sprawling Ras Tanura refinery — one of the largest in the Middle East — which Riyadh had also accused Tehran of targeting twice with drones.
Enayati added to the denial, saying Iran also had no hand in the targeting of the US embassy that triggered a fire at the compound.
“We confirmed that Iran has no role in the attack on the US embassy in Riyadh,” the ambassador told AFP.
“If the operations command in Tehran attacks somewhere, it takes responsibility for it.”
The war in the Middle East has engulfed the otherwise stable Gulf region as Iran retaliates over US and Israeli strikes that killed its supreme leader, launching strikes at Israel, the wider region and beyond.
At least 13 people have been killed in the Gulf, including seven civilians, since Iran began its attacks on Saturday.
Enayati, however, denied that Iran was waging a regional war as retaliation for the attacks on his country by the US and Israel.
“This is not a regional war and it is not our war. It was imposed on the region,” he told AFP.
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