Saudi Arabia ends an almost decade-old aid program to Bosnia

SARAJEVO: Saudi Arabia on Wednesday announced the end of its almost decade-old aid program to Bosnia, saying it had disbursed more than half a billion dollars in total.Riyadh launched the aid program in the first year of the 1992-95 war in the Balkan country and said total payments came to $560 million (430 million euros).The aid was used mainly to fight poverty and in health, infrastructure and culture, ambassador Eid bin Mohammed al-Thaqafi was quoted as saying by the state news agency Fena.?The period of conflict is over. Now this is a time of reconstruction and economic partnership between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Bosnia,? said the ambassador at a ceremony.Many mosques destroyed during the war were rebuilt with Saudi help.Muslims make up about 40 percent of Bosnia s 3.8 million people, while the rest is mostly Orthodox or Catholic Christian.The inter-ethnic conflict between Bosnia s Croats, Muslims and Serbs claimed some 100,000 lives and forced some 2.2 million people, or half its population, to flee their homes.