- PRIME MINISTER BEGINS SAUDI VISIT WITH TWO SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS
St Vincent Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves had a productive first day in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with two key meetings that lasted late into the night.
The first meeting was with Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al-Marshad, CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD). Prime Minister Gonsalves and the CEO signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) during this meeting, which will see SVG benefit from millions of dollars from the SFD for infrastructure projects in the fields of housing, education, health, sporting facilities, and citizen and community security.
The CEO told the Prime Minister that all details will be finalised by December 2023.
The second meeting was with Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih. During this discussion, Gonsalves proposed Saudi investments in three important sectors. These include the creation of a new cruise ship port and surrounding areas, hotel development in the Grenadines and on the mainland, and the construction of a new modern city at Amos Vale.
Minister Khalid Al-Falih stated that the Saudis are searching for these types of investment opportunities in the Caribbean and indicated interest in Saudi nationals visiting St. Vincent and the Grenadines for tourism and leisure.
Both meetings took place at the Ritz Carlton in Riyadh.
Gonsalves and his delegation will attend the Caricom Saudi Arabia Summit on Thursday, November 16th, beginning at 9 a.m.
