Saudi Arabia development and cultural assistance to sub-Saharan African countries, 1975--1995

Development assistance is one of the most important tools in any country's foreign policy. Saudi Arabia's multilateral and bilateral development and cultural assistance to sub-Saharan African countries is a faith-based assistance model to be emulated by other Muslim countries. This is the first major study that describes and analyzes the largest economic assistance from developing to less-developed countries. It is, in fact, one of the largest development assistance programs of its kind in the Third World.; This study does not focus on development assistance only, but also the historical connection between Saudi Arabia and Africa. Saudi Arabia's geographical location, surrounded on three sides by water and shielded by a large open desert on the fourth, plays a significant role in formulating its foreign policy. Saudi Arabia and Africa have close relations in terms of people, customs, history, and geography, even though the Red Sea separates the two regions. Saudi Arabia, as the site of the two holiest mosques in Islam, is the epicenter of Islamic devotion and prayer worldwide. It is the heartland of Islam and the birthplace of its message.; This study attempts to examine the various factors associated with Saudi development and cultural assistance and its unique impact and outcome rather than any other form of assistance. Its basic assumption is that economic assistance coming from a developing country is more acceptable than that from industrialized countries. Saudi development and cultural assistance employs a mix of geo-politics, security, religion, ethnicity, historical, and humanitarian components which influence its multilateral and bilateral missions. In order to accomplish its mission, Saudi development assistance is a collaboration with the Saudi Fund for Development, the Arab Bank for Development in Africa, and the OPEC Fund. These institutions are engaged in financial assistance to promote and help Africa with grants and loans for infrastructure, health, water supply, energy, agricultural projects, and educational centers. Also, Saudi Arabian cultural assistance helps Africa in building Islamic centers and education by providing scholarship to Africans. It has been accomplished through the Organization of Islamic Conference, the Islamic Development Bank, and the Muslim World League.; The findings of this study are that Saudi Arabia has pursued a foreign assistance program that is largely inspired by Islam and the principles of national interest. Data collected for this study have allowed us to reach certain conclusions regarding the relationship between Saudis and Africans. The first conclusion is that Saudi Arabia has over the years given more financial assistance per capita than many of the developed countries. Second, the study suggests that Saudi Arabian development and cultural assistance has made a major impact in minimizing the poverty level among the targeted sub-Saharan African countries. Third, Islam has continued to play an important part in formulating the implementation of Saudi foreign assistance which effectively enhanced the indigenous Islamic education and humanitarian institutions. Fourth, the political and cultural ties between Saudi Arabia and Africa have been enhanced by collaborative capacity building of the public and private development sectors. And, finally, Saudi development assistance effectively contributes to the quality of life of the recipient countries more than military assistance as a tool of foreign policy.