Saudi Arabia to fund $9.3 million mosque in Havana

Saudi Arabia is funding the construction of the ‘King Salman Mosque’ in Havana, Cuba, with a budget of approximately $9.3 million. The project is being financed through the Saudi Fund for Development and managed by the Office of the Historian of the City of Havana (OHCH).

The mosque is planned to be located in Old Havana, adjacent to the former Tallapiedra thermoelectric power plant. The complex is designed to accommodate roughly 500 people and will include prayer halls, a public library, dining facilities, community rooms, and green spaces. Construction is expected to be overseen by Engimov Caribe, a Portuguese-owned company operating in Cuba, with design management by Restaura, a unit of the OHCH.

While the site has recently been fenced off and signage has been posted, the project has faced significant delays; although a construction permit was obtained in 2020, work has yet to begin in earnest. The investment comes at a time when Cuba is facing a severe energy crisis, struggling with significant electricity shortages and a heavy reliance on oil imports that the nation currently fails to meet.