Latest news with #FourthRiyadhInternationalHumanitarianForum
See - Sada Elbalad
04-03-2025
- Health
- See - Sada Elbalad
WHO, King Salman Humanitarian Aid Center Ink Agreement to Support Sudanese Kidney Failure Patients in Egypt
The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have inked a joint cooperation agreement to support Sudanese kidney failure patients who have fled to Egypt due to the ongoing conflict in Sudan. The agreement, valued at $3.618 million, is expected to benefit more than 1,000 individuals. The signing took place on the sidelines of the Fourth Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum. The agreement was inked by Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, and Engineer Ahmed Al-Beez, Assistant Supervisor General for Operations and Programs at KSrelief. The initiative aims to ensure continuous treatment for Sudanese kidney failure patients in Egyptian cities, including Cairo, Giza, Alexandria, Luxor, and Aswan. It will be implemented in three phases: providing life-saving healthcare services, mapping service providers in areas with high concentrations of Sudanese refugees, and ensuring sustainable access to treatment. Dr. Nima Abed, WHO Representative in Egypt, emphasized the urgency of international solidarity in addressing the crisis. "The war in Sudan has caused the world's largest displacement crisis, with Egypt hosting the highest number of Sudanese refugees. Egypt maintains a policy of not establishing refugee camps and has a strong record of providing essential services to refugees on an equal footing with Egyptian citizens. This places increasing pressure on local resources," she said. Abed continued: "Given the growing global crises, international cooperation and burden-sharing are more critical than ever. We extend our gratitude to the Egyptian and Saudi governments for their collaboration and deeply appreciate KSrelief's generous support, which will enable WHO to continue assisting the Egyptian government in providing life-saving healthcare services to Sudanese refugees in Egypt." In turn, Dr. Abdullah bin Saleh Al-Muallem, Director of Medical and Environmental Aid at KSrelief, highlighted the importance of the initiative, saying, "This agreement with WHO marks a significant step in supporting our Sudanese brothers and sisters who are enduring harsh conditions due to the crisis in their homeland. We are working tirelessly to ensure they receive the necessary healthcare during these challenging times. We hope this initiative will help improve kidney failure treatment, support Sudanese kidney transplant patients in Egypt, and alleviate their suffering." It's worth mentioning that this agreement is part of Saudi Arabia's broader efforts, through KSrelief, to support international organizations in combating chronic diseases worldwide.
Asharq Al-Awsat
01-03-2025
- Health
- Asharq Al-Awsat
KSrelief, WHO Launch Phase Two of Malaria Control Project in Yemen
The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has signed a $12 million joint cooperation agreement with the World Health Organization (WHO) to launch the second phase of the malaria control and prevention project in Yemen. The agreement was signed by Advisor to the Royal Court and KSrelief Supervisor General Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Rabeeah and WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on the sidelines of the Fourth Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum, SPA reported. It serves as an extension of the first phase of the project, supported by funding from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries for the second phase. The project encompasses a wide range of preventive activities. This agreement aligns with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's initiatives through KSrelief to bolster the efforts of international organizations in combating the spread of epidemic diseases around the world.
Arab News
25-02-2025
- Health
- Arab News
Saudi Arabia's vaccination commitment sets stage for global efforts
RIYADH: Hundreds of members of the humanitarian community are in the Kingdom's capital for the Fourth Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum as Saudi Arabia strives connect relevant bodies to improve access and funding. Speaking to Arab News, Thomas Fletcher, UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator said that the biggest challenges in providing life-saving aid worldwide are the lack of funding, lack of access and, an often sidelined factor: lack of efficiency. 'There is too much duplication, too much bureaucracy, too much waste,' he said. 'We agreed last week at the IASC (Inter-Agency Standing Committee) that we need to cut through all of that … Yes, we need more money, but we also need to spend the money that we have more effectively.' Thomas Fletcher, UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator Attending the conference in Riyadh to connect with the humanitarian community and drive the movement's future operations, Fletcher was a part of the World Health Organization 2025 Emergency Appeal launched on Monday. The appeal was launched during a panel session attended by Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, adviser to the royal court and general supervisor of the Saudi aid agency KSrelief, WHO director-general Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus Adhanom, and members of other international humanitarian parties. Another big focal point of the conference was on the eradication of polio, as Saudi Arabia has confirmed $500 million to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, an agreement that will allow the initiative and its partners to help provide 370 million children with polio vaccines and permanently eliminate the disease. Yes, we need more money, but we also need to spend the money that we have more effectively. Thomas Fletcher, UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator Fletcher said that the Kingdom is an exporter of ideas as well as engagement and action on the ground: 'You can see by the number of UN agencies who've come, the importance of their individual partnerships and that collective partnership for the UN family with Saudi Arabia. 'KSrelief has been around 10 years now and their funding will have saved millions of lives in that time … but it's not just about the money, it's about the partnership. It's about actually sharing ideas and innovations and experience and a knowledge of the region as well.' Dr. Sania Nishtar, chief executive officer of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, an international public-private partnership providing access to vaccinations for low-income countries, was also part of the polio eradication initiative. In addition to supporting international health systems and strengthening governments' ability to inject vaccinations, Gavi works to provide childhood and adult vaccines as well as provide vaccines during public health emergencies and pandemics. 'Over a period of time we are increasingly finding ourselves in situations … in geographies, where there are humanitarian situations in contexts that are fragile,' she told Arab News. 'And those contexts are fragile because of armed conflict, because of natural disasters, because of internal migrations. And increasingly we find our scope of work cross cutting with humanitarian operations.' Gavi has recently incorporated new standard operating procedures to deal with humanitarian situations, and the conference in Riyadh opens doors to furthering those operations through fruitful partnerships. Nishtar said that the alliance has approached the Saudi government to partner with them for their 6.0 Strategy. The 6.0 Strategy is Gavi's next operational plan expected to be in order from 2026 to 2030. It will double down efforts to reach more people and tackle diseases quicker than ever before. 'That is a very important period because the (UN) Millenium Development Goals also sunset during that time,' Nishtar said. Fletcher said that the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs must remain neutral and independent among geopolitical boundaries to provide unfiltered aid for those in need. 'It doesn't mean we don't pick a side, it means we pick the side of the people that we're there to serve … we can't be pushed around by governments no matter how rich they are.' Delivering aid in conflict zones is a unique challenge; with the ceasefire in effect in Gaza, OCHA has been able to deliver more than 20,000 aid trucks in one month and provide food to 2 million people. If the ceasefire collapses, however, as Fletcher noted it was 'hanging by a thread,' then OCHA's ability to provide aid at that scale will collapse as well. Nishtar added that Gavi has recently made $20 million available for the procurement of vaccines and their administration in Gaza. According to Fletcher, the new caretaker administration in the Syrian Arab Republic under Ahmed Al-Sharaa has been removing obstacles previously placed by the Assad regime. There is a big opportunity in Syria, he said, but from food to electricity and more, the needs are massive. 'We've got to clear all that unexploded ordnance. We've got to help people return to their homes, start to rebuild their lives, their communities. It's a moment of fragile hope,' he said. As a humanitarian, Fletcher said that he does not believe sanctions should get in the way of any aid delivery. The OCHA team is also helping those displaced in Ukraine and providing food and shelter to those fleeing the conflict. Nishtar said that the biggest challenge Gavi faces in areas of conflict is that the conventional modalities of operation become inadequate. For Gavi's Zero Dose Program's current work in Africa, for example, the International Rescue Committee has partnered with them in 11 countries to provide access to children who have never received a single dose of vaccines. 'So, it's both the policy side, the institutional framework, the human resource side, the norms, the funding arrangements, and the execution partners that comprise our new approach to dealing with conflict and fragile settings,' she said. On how climate change and climate-induced food insecurities affect their operations, Fletcher said that it is continually seen that the climate crisis overlaps with existing inequality, poverty, conflict, and political fragility, creating a 'perfect storm' of humanitarian crises. 'I think the risk at the moment is that some governments want us to stop talking about climate change, but climate change isn't going to go away just because of a few elections. For every degree the climate heats up, a billion people will be displaced,' he said. Climate change also plays a role in the re-emergence of diseases once thought to be minimized or eradicated, such as dengue in many parts of Latin America, malaria, and yellow fever, Nishtar said. Vectors, the insects that carry certain diseases, start to behave differently with changing temperatures. 'With climate change, you have a number of different catastrophes, there are droughts and floods, and these situations bring additional challenges in their wake,' she said. 'I come from Pakistan where there have been massive floods in the last 10 years and every time there's a flood, you know, there's a cholera outbreak and there's a typhoid outbreak.' Due to the cyclical nature of humanitarian crises constantly giving birth to one another, one of the toughest parts of the job is ruthless prioritization, Fletcher said. OCHA launched an annual global humanitarian overview where it identifies the present global trends in humanitarian needs and crises. Their 2024 overview identified 300 million people in dire need of help, out of which 190 million had to be prioritized for action should funding, in the amount of $47 billion, come through. 'Yemen, Syria, occupied Palestinian territory, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo are all right up there on that list,' Fletcher said. Last year, US funding accounted for about 40 percent of the contributions received for the UN-coordinated global humanitarian appeal, so the pause in the US and other nations' funding has created a difficult monetary environment. 'Almost half of our campaigns are currently funded by the US government. So, to lose that support would be really a huge setback for our work with the world's poorest people.'
Asharq Al-Awsat
24-02-2025
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
4th Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum Launches Under King Salman's Patronage
Under the patronage of Custodian of Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and on his behalf, Governor of Riyadh Region Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz attended the Fourth Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum (RIHF), which kicked off Monday in Riyadh under the theme "Navigating the Future of Humanitarian Response." Upon his arrival, the governor was greeted by Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, and several other officials from the center, SPA reported. Welcoming attendees to Saudi Arabia, the Riyadh governor conveyed the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques' greetings and delivered his speech, emphasizing the forum's role in addressing the increasing global disasters and humanitarian challenges. He said that this forum is being held to shed light on the groups most affected and impacted by these circumstances, and to provide a platform to discuss the most important challenges that hinder humanitarian work, which can only be overcome by the combined efforts of the international community. He highlighted the Kingdom's ongoing contributions to humanitarian work, rooted in Islamic values and initiated by the founding King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud. Saudi Arabia's extensive humanitarian efforts include providing over $100 million in support to various nations and establishing KSrelief a decade ago. Since then, KSrelief has implemented over 3,000 projects in more than 100 countries, totaling over $7 billion in aid. Al Rabeeah, in his address, lauded the establishment of KSrelief as a pivotal move in global humanitarian work. He highlighted the humanitarian efforts exerted by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, "who presented the world with the most valuable gift ten years ago when he announced the establishment of KSrelief to be a leading center in providing Saudi humanitarian work to those in need all over the world according to a methodology that combines giving and planning, urgent relief intervention, and long-term humanitarian work." He detailed the center's achievements, delivering aid worth over $7.3 billion through 3,355 projects and collaborating with 466 partners worldwide. Saudi Arabia's giving over the last five decades exceeds $133.8 billion, marking the center as a leader in international volunteer projects and global humanitarian initiatives aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals. Al Rabeeah called upon the global donor community and partners to enhance support for humanitarian work, ensuring rapid and effective response. In his speech, the minister of foreign affairs highlighted Saudi Arabia's historical dedication to assisting nations and individuals in need. Guided by its humanitarian principles and a commitment to moderation and responsibility, the Kingdom has emerged as a major international donor. Saudi Arabia's humanitarian and relief aid has surpassed $133 billion, reaching beneficiaries in more than 172 countries. He stated that, under the leadership's directives, Saudi Arabia had launched numerous aid campaigns for affected nations—notably, a fundraising campaign generated over SAR700 million in donations for Palestinian relief. Additionally, the Masam project has cleared over 430,000 mines in Yemen since 2018, significantly reducing threats to civilian lives. He emphasized that Saudi Arabia also took immediate action at the start of the Sudanese crisis, spearheading diplomatic initiatives that resulted in the Jeddah 1 and Jeddah 2 agreements, thereby enabling crucial humanitarian aid. Additionally, the Kingdom executed a pioneering sea evacuation, successfully rescuing more than 8,400 individuals from 110 countries trapped in Sudan. The minister also stressed that, given the rising humanitarian crises, effective humanitarian diplomacy is crucial for coordinating efforts and strengthening responses. It supports diplomatic solutions by upholding international and humanitarian law, securing aid corridors, and fostering dialogue to ensure aid reaches conflict zones. He further stated that current regional and global events reveal the critical need for united humanity to establish and respect human dignity, intensify efforts to prevent war, and collaborate on aid delivery according to international humanitarian law. He added that Saudi Arabia is committed to preventing the deterioration of conditions in affected countries and communities by pursuing practical solutions through regional and international cooperation. The Riyadh governor attended the signing of four agreements by KSrelief with local, international, and UN organizations to support global humanitarian efforts. Al Rabeeah signed at the forum a $300 million agreement with World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and a $200 million agreement with UNICEF's Executive Director, both for supporting the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Al Rabeeah also signed an agreement with Islamic Development Bank Group Chairman Dr. Muhammad Al-Jasser, committing $100 million to Phase II of the Lives and Livelihoods Fund, the Middle East's largest development initiative, and another agreement with World Food Program Executive Director Cindy McCain to distribute 100,000 tons of dates across 30 countries. The event was attended by princes, ministers, diplomats, and leaders from local, Gulf, Arab, and international governmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as UN humanitarian experts.
