ABHA, 4 November 2006 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah yesterday launched a number of educational, health, tourism and infrastructure projects worth SR11.7 billion in the Asir region. King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan will attend a military parade and an air show today.
On the second day of his visit to the region, his first after ascending to the throne in August 2005, King Abdullah hosted a luncheon in honor of the people of Asir at Al-Faraa Palace where he received prominent Islamic scholars, senior civilian and military officers and a large number of citizens.
Abdullah laid the foundation for the first phase of the King Khaled University Campus in Abha, which is to cost SR2.5 billion. The project includes colleges of medicine, dentistry, pharmacology, applied sciences, computer science and information systems, engineering, Shariah, Usuluddin, languages and translation, and a 400-bed university hospital.
The king also launched two key projects: Abha Private University with eight colleges and an industrial city for 1,000 factories. He also laid the foundation stone for another project for the development of central Abha.
Other projects launched by the king were: 16 municipality projects (SR292 million), 26 manpower training projects (SR1.34 billion) and 372 schools (SR970 million). The king also laid the foundation of a new health city, which will have a 200-bed mental hospital with a center to treat drug addicts, a health science college and a diabetes center. He also opened seven hospitals with a total of 550 beds.
As part of the government’s efforts to support the poor and help them achieve self-reliance, the Social Affairs Ministry has established a fishing program in Qahma by providing fishermen with boats and other equipment. The king launched plans to carry out 23 similar projects for the poor living on the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf coasts.
Addressing a popular reception held in his honor by the people of Asir at the Prince Sultan Sports City in Mahala on Thursday, King Abdullah urged Saudis to work hard to strengthen the country’s position in the comity of nations. “We have to look to the future with confidence, seeking a leading position in the world where there is no place for the weak,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the king as telling the crowd.
Abdullah also emphasized that Saudi Arabia would be able to confront all the challenges with the determination of its people. “We are proud of these men who are the resources and the reservoir that we rely on after God, the Almighty,” he said while commending the role of the people of Asir in the Kingdom’s unification under King Abdul Aziz.
At the sports city, 25,000 people had gathered to welcome the king. Those who could not get a place inside lined the street outside just to get a glimpse of the king. Everyone was in a festive mood and sang patriotic songs while waiting for the arrival of the king and his entourage.
Folk dance troupes from Khamis Mushayt, Abha, Mahayel, Majarda, Dhahran Al-Janoub, Tathleeth, Bisha, Nimas, Tanooma and Bil Asmer clad in traditional colorful dresses performed to entertain the king and the gathering. The troupes comprised people of all age groups.
Ali Aseeri, a teacher who came with his three young sons dressed in traditional attire, told Arab News the king’s visit would boost the development of the region in education and health and would create more employment for Saudis.
Ali Saad Asmari described Abdullah as a humane king.
— Additional input from Aqeel Jamil
