RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with his Sierra Leonean counterpart David Francis, during his visit to the capital Riyadh, the Kingdom’s foreign ministry said. During the meeting, thanked the Sierra Leonean government for supporting the Kingdom’s request to host the Expo 2030 in Riyadh. The meeting reviewed relations between the two countries and opportunities to enhance cooperation in all fields, in addition to discussing a number of issues of common interest and the most prominent regional and international developments. During his visit, Francis met with Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, supervisor general of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, to discuss humanitarian and relief affairs. Francis expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s global humanitarian efforts. He also held talks with the CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) Sultan Al-Marshad, where they reviewed the Kingdom’s development projects and programs financed by the fund to support Sierra Leone, Saudi Press Agency reported. Francis praised SFD’s efforts in financing development projects and programs over the past years, adding that he personally benefited from one of the educational programs funded by the Kingdom. He said these projects benefit everyone in Sierra Leone and have had a positive impact on social and economic growth and prosperity. SFD has provided six soft loans to support and finance five development projects and programs totaling more than $58 million, in addition to the Kingdom’s grant to the Saudi Program for Drilling Wells and Rural Development in Africa, where the program contributed $5 million to the fifth phase in Sierra Leone. Meanwhile, Prince Faisal also made a phone call today to his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid to discuss ways to develop bilateral relations and exchanged views on a number of issues. He also expressed his appreciation for the Maldives’ support for the Kingdom’s request to host Expo 2030.