Senior Saudi Arabian government officials paid courtesy calls on President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom on Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, Minister of Education of Saudi Arabia Dr. Ahmed Al-Issa met President Yameen.
At the meeting held at the King Saud Guest Palace, Riyadh, discussions were held on increasing higher education opportunities in Saudi Arabia for Maldivian students. In this regard, the President and the Saudi Education Minister exchanged views on facilitating more education opportunities in technical fields, and providing 300 scholarships in Saudi Arabia to Maldivian students. The Saudi Minister emphasized on expediting the process.
President Yameen and the Saudi Education Minister also spoke on establishing cooperation between the Islamic University of Maldives and the Saudi academia.
Later, Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture of Saudi Arabia, Abdulrahman Bin Abdel Mohsen Al Fadhly, paid a courtesy call on the President.
During the call held at the King Saud Guest Palace, President and the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture held discussions on providing assistance in capacity building in the field of agriculture and exploring further opportunities in the fisheries sector.
Chairman and Managing Director of Saudi Fund, Dr. Yousef Al-Bassam also met President Yameen at the King Saud Guest Palace.
During the call, President Yameen and Dr. Yousef Al-Bassam discussed development assistance that can be provided by Saudi Arabia and explored opportunities for further engagement between the two countries. Additionally, discussions were held regarding possibilities for supporting SMEs and the Maldivian fisheries sector.
The President was accompanied at the call by a high-level delegation that includes Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Mohamed Asim, Minister of Economic Development, Mohamed Saeed, Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Dr. Mohamed Shainee, Minister of State, Foreign Relations, at the President’s Office, Mohamed Naseer, and Maldivian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Abdulla Hameed.