MANAMA: The Saudi Fund for Development signed on Tuesday a SR173.7 million ($46.3 million) agreement to provide medical devices for the academic hospital at King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Medical City in Bahrain. SFD’s CEO Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al-Marshad signed the development grant agreement provided by the SFD to fund the project of supplying the medical devices. This was in collaboration with the Arabian Gulf University, represented by the acting president of the university, Dr. Abdurrahman bin Youssef Ismail, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The project is part of the grant provided by Saudi Arabia, under the directives of the Saudi leadership, to fund the construction of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Medical City at a value of SR1 billion. The agreement embodies the close development partnership between SFD and the Bahraini government. The Kingdom’s deputy ambassador to Manama, Saleh bin Falah Al-Otaibi, attended the signing ceremony. Bahrain News Agency reported that Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al-Khalifa, the country’s deputy prime minister, welcomed Al-Marshad at a meeting that was also attended by Wael bin Nasser Al-Mubarak, minister of municipalities affairs and agriculture, and Ibrahim Hassan Ali Al-Hawaj, works minister. Al-Khalifa praised SFD’s role in following up on the implementation of vital projects in the infrastructure sector that it finances within the Gulf Development Program. This reflected the depth of relations between the two countries and contributed to advancing the economic development in Bahrain. The deputy prime minister emphasised the support and care of the historical bilateral relations led by King Hamad bin Isa and King Salman bin Abdulaziz. Al-Khalifa stressed the cooperation between the two countries, especially in the economic sector, with the aim of continuing to strengthen bilateral work and supporting it to achieve the common visions of Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. SPA reported that since 1976, SFD has delivered 30 development projects and programs in the energy, transportation and social infrastructure sectors through soft development loans and grants, contributing to developing vital and developmental sectors and supporting them to achieve sustainable development goals in Bahrain.