Saudi Arabia has pledged $100 million in assistance for building schools and a ring road in Afghanistan, the Presidential Palace said on Monday.
Finance Minister Humayun Qayyumi and Saudi official Ahmad Aqeel Al Khatib inked agreements in the presence of President Ashraf Ghani in Jeddah.
A statement from Ghani’s office said 100 schools across Afghanistan and the Kabul ring road would be built with the Saudi assistance.
The Saudi development fund head said they were committed to creating jobs and reducing violence through the projects in Afghanistan.
Ghani thanked the Saudi official for the aid and said: “Our aim is to convert Afghanistan into a regional partnership hub.”
According to another report, Ghani met Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary Dr. Abdul Latif bin Rashid Zayani.
Zayani extended his condolences over the loss of lives in a recent terrorist attack on a wedding hall in Kabul. He said Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salaman had directed him to extend all-out cooperation to Afghanistan.
He commended the people of Afghanistan for fighting terrorism, saying: “We believe in a stable Afghanistan under the government leadership.”
Ghani thanked Rashid Zayani for his condolences and said Afghanistan Saudi relations had special value for the Afghans.
