Fresh hope as new Saudi ambassador starts work in Kampala
Ambassador Mohammed Bin Khalil Faloudah, the new Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Uganda, has commenced work at his new diplomatic post, replacing his predecessor, Ambassador Jamal Mohammed Hassan Al-Madani.
Ambassador Mohammed Bin Khalil Faloudah was received at Entebbe International Airport, by Amb Dr Rashid Yahya Ssemuddu, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Hajji Karim Kaliisa, Managing Director of Salam TV and Salam Charity.
Amb Ssemuddu said: “You are most welcome to Uganda. The country looks forward to your leadership to build our social economic, cultural, and diplomatic ties, and yearns to benefit from your strength, as well as the well-known Saudi traditions of friendship, mutual respect, and pursuit of excellence.”
Amb Mohammed comes to Uganda with a wealth of experience in diplomatic practice. He has served in several positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia has recently signaled a long-term commitment to strengthen its bilateral relations with Uganda. The Kingdom this year completed and occupied its Embassy building in Kololo, Kampala. Saudi Arabia, through the Saudi Fund for Development has injected close to $100 million in development projects in the areas of Agriculture, education, healthcare, and energy.
Over 150,000 Ugandans live and work in Saudi Arabia, in addition to improving trade in Ugandan commodities to the Kingdom.
Through the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), to which Saudi Arabia contributes significantly, Uganda has benefited in several areas, including infrastructure (roads, urban markets), education (schools, structures at BTVET institutions, Islamic University in Uganda), healthcare, energy (power transmission lines), among other areas.
Through the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) several projects have been funded in Uganda, with the latest, being a $30 million (Shs112 billion) facility to construct and equip the Uganda Heart Institute, signed in September 2023 by Uganda’s Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Mr Matia Kasaija and the SFD Chief Executive Sultan Al-Marshad.
Saudi Arabia and Uganda signed a bilateral labor Agreement in 2014, signaling the formal movement of migrant workers from the East African country to the Royal Kingdom.
Today, some 150,000 Ugandans work in both professional and domestic circles in Saudi Arabia.
The respective development frameworks of the two countries are complementary and aligned to international transformative agendas, including the UN Agenda 2030 on Social Development Goals (SDGs).
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, is credited for helping transform the desert Kingdom’s infrastructure, institutional architecture, and human as well as economic development, while Uganda’s Vision 2040 is on track to serve as the country’s blueprint for development and socio-economic transformation.
Private Saudi individuals have spent millions of dollars on religious and charity work in Uganda, including the construction of mosques, schools, healthcare centers, provision of fresh water supply to vulnerable communities, and cultural activities, among others.
