IPNEWS: Amid continued attempts by Liberia’s Foreign Minister D. Maxwell Kamayah, to distance himself from ongoing accusation of sexual harassment charges, the authoritative Independent Probe Newspaper understands from unimpeachable sources within the diplomatic circles that there are intense lobby by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for the restitution of two million United States dollars for the refurbishing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Liberia.
IPNEWS also understand that in continued lobby has gotten to an extreme high-level leaving Liberia out of invitation to ongoing Saudi-Arab-African Economic Conference held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
According to sources at the Saudi Arabia Embassy in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, failure for the Kemayah’s administration to account for the two million United States dollars has also caused Liberia to forfeit huge benefits from portion of the 580million United States dollars given to some African countries, at the Saudi-Arab-African Economic Conference held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi-Arab fund will address projects in the healthcare, water, education, and transportation sectors in Angola, Burkina Faso, Benin, Burundi, Cape Verde, Guinea, Malawi, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania.
The signing ceremony took place at the Saudi-Arab-African Economic Conference held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
In conjunction with the loan agreements signing, the SFD CEO also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the African Finance Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Samaila Zubairu
This MoU will enable the SFD to collaborate with AFC to identify, develop, and co-finance infrastructure and industrial projects across the continent.
The 14 development loan agreements signed include the Construction and Equipping of a Mother and Child Referral Hospital in Guinea for $75 million, a Riyadh Referral hospital in Sierra Leone for $50 million, Boarding Secondary Schools for Girls in Several Regions of Niger for $28 million, and the Construction of Higher College For Teacher Preparation and The Scientific Secondary School Project in Benin for $40 million.
The agreements also include the Rehabilitation of the King Khalid University Hospital in Bujumbura, Burundi for USD 50 million, the Manga Regional Hospital (Phase 2) in Burkina Faso for $17 million, and Watersheds in the Islands of Santiago, Saint Antao, and Boavista, Cabo Verde for $17 million.
The SFD will also fund the Catumbela Industrial Development Project (Phase 1) in Angola for $100 million, the Expansion of The Transmission and Distribution Water System in the East of Kigali, Rwanda for $20 million, and the Construction and Rehabilitation of the Mangochi-Makanjira Road in Malawi for $20 million.
Other agreements include the construction and equipping of five Hospitals in different regions of Mozambique for $50 million, the Construction of the Muera Dam in Mozambique for $50 million, the Rehabilitation and Upgrade of Two parts of National Road No. 1 in Mozambique for $50 million and the Benaco to Kyaka Transmission Line Project in Tanzania for $13 million.
These agreements and the MoU will have a positive impact on the lives of millions of people in different regions across Africa by improving access to healthcare, education, water, transportation, and economic opportunities, stimulating economic growth, and creating jobs.
Importantly, the projects will address a wide range of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), priorities, including poverty, health, education, gender equality, water and sanitation, decent work, economic growth, industry, innovation, infrastructure, inequality reduction, sustainable cities and communities, and climate change.
The Saudi Fund for Development CEO said: “The SFD is proud to continue in partnering with African countries through contributing and supporting development projects that will have a tangible impact on the lives of millions of people.”
He noted that with these new agreements and MoU, the SFD has taken a step further towards a brighter and more equitable Africa by contributing to healthcare, education, water, and transportation projects.
“We are supporting the empowerment of millions of people to reach their full potential and build a more sustainable and economically prosperous continent for future generations,” he added.
He said: “In line with SFD’s mission to promote global sustainable development since 1975, SFD has funded more than 800 development projects worth US$20 billion in over 100 countries around the world. In Africa alone, SFD has financed over 400 projects worth US$10.7 billion in 46 countries. This accounts for 57 per cent of SFD’s funding in developing countries worldwide”.
The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) is a government entity that provides soft development loans and grants to finance development projects and programmes in developing countries.
Since 1975, SFD has financed over 800 development projects worth US$20 billion in over 100 countries around the world across various sectors such as transportation and communications, social infrastructure, agriculture, energy, industry and mining, and others.
The projects support generating socio-economic development and help to improve the living standards of disadvantaged communities in countries most in need.
SFD’s activities are aligned with international development principles and contribute towards realizing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal
Moreover, it unifies its efforts in development support through partnerships and cooperation with regional and international organizations.
It may be recalled, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia support was made possible through the instrumentality of Minister Kamayah’s predecessor, former Foreign Minister Gbezohngar Milton Findley, prior to his resignation in July 2020, had earlier requested 2.5 million in food aid and resources for the refurbishing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, due to diminishing effects since its last renovation by the Chinese in 2004.
In December 2022, the government, and people of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia through its Ambassador Abdullah Bin Hamad AlsoBaiee assured the government of Liberia of US$2 million donation for renovation works of Liberia’s Foreign Ministry.
Amb. Abdullah Bin Hamad AlsoBaiee said the US$2 million donation for renovation works at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is part of an effort of the Saudi Fund for Development in Liberia that includes US$500,000 towards food assistance.
“The Saudi Fund for Development is carrying out some level of development in the country including US$500,000 food assistance and US$2 million donation for the renovation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Amb. Abdullah Bin Hamad AlsoBaiee affirmed.
True to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia pledge to provide 2.5 million to Liberia, the Kingdom through its Ambassador Abdullah Bin Hamad AlsoBaiee, accredited to Liberia, residence in the Ivory Coast, ordered the disbursement of the Funds in a communication to the government of Liberia on September 17, 2022.
Following the disbursement of Funds in September 2022, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia again through its Ambassador Abdullah Bin Hamad AlsoBaiee in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, communicated with its Liberian counterparts dated November 14, 2022, notifying it of the dispatch of a four men delegation to follow up on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs renovation project for which two million United States dollars of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia Development Fund was disbursed.
Regrettably, the four men team arrived on November 20, 2022, via Ethiopian Airlines to an unfavorable astonishment the team met no renovation in motion neither could Foreign Minister D. Maxwell Saah Kamayah, account for the disbursed 2million United States dollars up to current.
Represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Thelma E. Sawyer, the four men delegation led by Saudi Ambassador, Abdullah Bin Hamad AlsoBaiee, donated 50 metric tons of date to the people and government of Liberia, as part of the 500,000.00 previously pledged in food aid while Minister Kemayah was nowhere to be seen.
Date, an eatable commodity, is an iconic symbol of Arabian hospitality that contained nutrients and is famous for a break of fast during the Holy Month of Ramadan.
Now that Minister D. Maxwell Saah Kemayah, is yet to renovate the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, diplomatic sources tell the authoritative Independent Probe Newspaper, that the kingdom of Saudi Arabia through its Ambassador Abdullah Bin Hamad AlsoBaiee in Abidjan, the Ivory Coast, will shortly formally request refund under the principal of South-South Corporation.
