Experts gather in Riyadh to address challenges to global humanitarian effort
RIYADH: Leaders, donors, humanitarian workers, and experts from around the world are set to converge in the Saudi capital on Monday to discuss and address challenges being faced by humanitarian aid agencies, the Saudi Press Agency has reported.
Organized by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, the 4th Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum is being held in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the aid agency better known by its short name KSrelief.
Topics include the role of humanitarian diplomacy in conflicts and disasters, access to humanitarian aid and supply chains, and addressing displacement in an era of increasing conflicts and natural disasters, KSrelief Supervisor General Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah said during a roundtable session with media representatives on Sunday.
A mid-year report of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) last year said that at the end of June 2024, at least 122.6 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations or events seriously disturbing public order.
At the top of the list were Gaza, Sudan, Syria, Myanmar, Yemen, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Congo and Colombia.
During the two-day event, KSrelief will also sign several agreements with UN and international organizations as part of Saudi Arabia's humanitarian efforts, said Al-Rabeeah, who is also an adviser to the Royal Court.
Another activity programmed as part of the forum is a hackathon on "Artificial Intelligence in Humanitarian Relief," organized by the KSrelief in collaboration with Alfaisal University. The hackathon "aims to leverage AI-driven solutions to address critical humanitarian challenges in healthcare," Al-Rabeeah explained.
He added that participating technology and humanitarian experts are expected "to develop innovative solutions aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, focusing on AI, healthcare, and innovation."
Since 2015, KSrelief has implemented 2,670 projects worth more than $6.5 billion in 95 countries, in cooperation with 175 local, regional and international partners. The bulk of the support has gone to Yemen ($4.3 billion), Syria ($391 million), Palestine ($370 million) and Somalia ($227 million).
KSrelief's programs cover food security, health, sanitation, shelter, nutrition, education, telecommunications and logistics.
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