RIYADH: Saudi Fund for Development officials on Monday unveiled a $22 million project to build a library at the University of Sarajevo, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
A ceremony to launch the scheme was attended by Bosnia and Herzegovina Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmedin Konakovic, Prime Minister of the Sarajevo Canton Nihad Uk, and the Saudi Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Osamah bin Dakhil Al-Ahmadi.
The public library, which will cover 13,590 square meters, will connect 28 branch libraries in the various faculties of the university. It will be accessible to more than 22,000 students, around 1,600 staff and faculty members, and 10,000 other external users.
The project aims to boost university standards, enhance its scientific research capabilities, and address the needs of students.
Chairman of the SFD’s board of directors, Ahmed Aqeel Al-Khateeb, said the project was part of efforts to further strengthen relations between Saudi Arabia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Konakovic said that while the project would enrich academic work, he hoped the library would become a symbol of joint efforts between the two countries to promote education and knowledge for future generations.
Established in 1975, the Saudi fund has financed 11 projects and development programs in various regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina with a total value of around $185 million.
