Saudi Arabia's embassy in Australia holds a reception on the occasion of the National Day of The Saudi military attaché opening in Australia.

Ambassador Al Saleh: The Kingdom is the sixth donor of aid in the world

1/10/2015

(Translation of this article appears in Arabic section)

Chris Cannan of DFAT

Canberra - M. E. TIMES: HE Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques' Ambassador to Australia and New Zealand Nabil bin Mohammed Al Saleh held a reception for the kingdom’s 85 National Day in Canberra. It was attended by a host of senior political, parliamentary and Australian Foreign Affairs figures and other ambassadors accredited to Australia as well as Saudis living in Australia, heads and representatives of associations and the Arab and Islamic centers.

The guests were received by Ambassador Al Saleh, deputy Ambassador Meshaal Alrougui, cultural attaché Dr. Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah bin Taleb and Military attaché Colonel Sami al-Mutairi.

Arab Ambassadors with Saudi Ambassador Mr Al-Saleh

Ambassador Al Saleh outlined in his speech the comprehensive development in the Kingdom, its economic situation and strong leadership internationally, its contribution to global stability and the fight against terrorism. He explained the kingdom's humanitarian role and its contribution to international relief work; the kingdom is the sixth largest aid donor  in the world with more than $160 billion in humanitarian aid to more than 90 countries.

Ambassador Al Saleh explained that the Kingdom donated more than $ 4 billion to the people of Yemen with more than half a million Yemenis moving to the Kingdom due to recent events. On Syria, Ambassador Al Saleh stressed the Kingdom’s strong support for the Syrian people and noted that they had received Syrians fleeing the civil war and who are now living in the Kingdom, receiving education and medical care, in addition to more than a billion dollars in aid to Syrian refugees camps.

Ambassador Al-Saleh with a number of Saudi Students

In his speech, Ambassador Al Saleh addressed the comprehensive development renaissance experienced by the Kingdom in different areas, indicating the importance of education as a main pillar of development; he pointed to the more than 250,000 Saudi students in overseas universities, including 13,000 in Australia.

He also  announced the opening of the Saudi military attaché in Australia and the appointment of Colonel Sami al-Mutairi as military attaché.

Ambassador Al Saleh honoured outstanding Saudi students who have achieved distinctive scientific work in their studies and research as well as the heads of student clubs in all states by presenting commemorative shields to them.

 The winner of the literary competition "together against extremism", Bader Salem Mohammadi-Harbi, was also honoured also and made an expressive poem.