Jakarta, March 15, 2022:
Sultan Abdulrahman Al-Marshad — the CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) — has laid the foundation stones for three development projects in the Republic of Indonesia.
The Saudi Fund for Development has committed to contributing to the construction of these projects with the provision of several soft loans amounting to US$ 110.6 million.
The three projects include the development of Jakarta State University (UNJ), the development of Maulana Malik Ibrahim University (UIN) in the East Java city of Malang and the establishment of Bengkulu University Hospital on Sumatra Island.
Al-Marshad visited Indonesia to attend a series of ceremonial events marking the next phase of the projects' development. In addition to a delegation of representatives from the SFD, he was joined by a number of officials at Jakarta State University as he laid the foundation stone for the project, celebrating the start of its construction.
Those in attendance included: Secretary General of the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Technology, Mrs. Suharti Sutar; the Chancellor of Jakarta State University, Dr. Komaridin MSi; and Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Ambassador, Mr. Yehya Al Qahtani.
The soft loan provided by the Fund with an amount of US$ 32.7 million will help to finance the project. The project consists of four buildings with a total area of approximately 37,000 sqm, including educational facilities, classrooms, libraries, an exhibition hall, audio-visual rooms, and workshop halls.
The Fund estimates that over 40,000 students will benefit from the project annually, with the development contributing to the advancement of the Indonesian education sector. The project has also been launched to support Indonesia as the country works towards achieving its sustainable social and economic goals.
Al-Marshad also laid the foundation stone for Bengkulu University Hospital. SFD has contributed with an amount of US$ 22 million towards construction of the project. The project will play a vital role in transforming the Indonesian health sector, catering to the needs of Bengkulu residents and providing an instructive environment for university students to fulfil their potential as world-class medical practitioners. The project will serve up to 328,000 beneficiaries annually, in addition to increasing the operational capacity of health facilities, improving the quality of basic health services, and supporting specialized medical research centres.
Al-Marshad will conclude his visit to Indonesia by laying the foundation stone for the second phase of Maulana Malek Ibrahim University Development Project. The project has been established with a view to increasing the university's absorptive capacity from 13,000 to 25,000 students. SFD has contributed with an amount of US$ 55 million towards construction of the project.
The project will bolster the university's infrastructure through the construction of several modern, well-appointed buildings. These include new faculties, a dedicated Research and Data Center, and campus residences.
Saudi Fund for Development CEO, Sultan Al-Marshad, said, "At SFD, we believe that education is one of the main pillars of every prosperous economy and thriving community. We regard it as our duty at the Fund to provide even greater access to quality learning and development.”
Her Excellency, the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, Ms. Suharti, praised the work of the Government of Saudi Arabia to improve the living conditions of people and communities across Indonesia. Reiterating that investing in learning and healthcare is vital to sustainable development, she commended Saudi Arabia’s contributions, through the Saudi Fund for Development, to improving access to quality education and all-important resources and services.
She commended Sultan Al-Marshad and his accompanying delegation for their ongoing support, underlining Indonesia’s commitment to building on its partnership with Saudi Arabia in order to create a brighter, more prosperous future for all.
Since 1976, SFD has been committed to empowering people and communities across Indonesia to fulfil their potential by establishing a range of development projects. SFD has provided 12 development loans to finance 12 projects in the water, energy, health, roads, and education sectors.
