On August 25, 2024, the Minister of Education of Saudi Arabia, Yousef bin Abdullah Al-Benyan, welcomed the Ambassador of Sri Lanka, Omar Lebbe Ameer Ajwad, at the Ministry of Education in Riyadh. The meeting focused on fostering cooperation between the two nations in the fields of education, science, and technology.
The significance of science, technology, and education as fundamental elements of Saudi Vision 2030 was underscored by Minister Yousef. He emphasized the possibility of closer cooperation in these areas with Sri Lanka.
In addition to expressing gratitude for the scholarships the Saudi government gave to Sri Lankan students, Ambassador Ameer Ajwad said he would want to look into other options for Sri Lankan students attending Saudi universities. He added that future improvements to bilateral relations would come from the current completion of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Scientific and Educational Cooperation.
Mohamed Anas, the Minister and Head of Chancery of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh, was present during the meeting.
The Board of Directors of Universities Affairs, the University of Higher Education Fund, and the Saudi Universities Sports Federation are just a few of the Saudi educational institutions that Minister Yousef currently chairs. He was previously the Vice Chairman and CEO of the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC).