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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.
Leaders
24-02-2025
- Health
- Leaders
4th RIHF: KSrelief Addresses Challenges to Global Humanitarian Efforts
Under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Arabia is hosting the 4th Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum (RIHF), from February 24-25, 2025, in the capital city of Riyadh. The RIHF, organized by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) in partnership with the UN, is gathering humanitarian leaders, donors, practitioners, researchers and other stakeholders to discuss challenges facing humanitarian efforts and come up with innovative solutions that help in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 4th Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum The KSrelief Supervisor General, Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, noted that the 4th Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum coincides with the 10th anniversary of KSrelief establishment, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Speaking during a media roundtable session, Al-Rabeeah said that the 4th RIHF brings together experts and humanitarian workers from across the world to discuss and address the global challenges to humanitarian work. The forum features high-level panel discussions with top local and international researchers and specialists to explore topics such as the role of humanitarian diplomacy in conflicts and disasters, humanitarian access and supply chains, and addressing displacement in an era of increased conflicts and natural disasters. The RIHF also includes dialogue sessions, workshops, and other events. Furthermore, KSrelief will sign several agreements with UN and international organizations, in line with Saudi Arabia's humanitarian efforts, Al-Rabeeah said. AI Hackathon In collaboration with Alfaisal University, KSrelief organizes the Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Humanitarian Relief Hackathon, as part of the 4th RIHF activities. The hackathon aims to utilize AI-driven solutions to address critical humanitarian challenges in healthcare. The event gathers tech and humanitarian experts to develop innovative solutions that align with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, focusing on three main pillars: AI, healthcare and innovation. RIHF Objectives Held under the theme 'Navigating the Future of Humanitarian Response,' the 4th RIHF aims to foster dialogue and communication among leaders, policymakers, humanitarian workers and researchers to exchange expertise, ideas and best practices in humanitarian work. It also aims to improve the Humanitarian, Development, and Peace Nexus (HDPN) to promote sustainable development. Moreover, the forum focuses on accelerating the achievement of the SDGs in the humanitarian field, harnessing scientific research and data quality governance to enhance humanitarian work, and encourage young people to engage in volunteering and humanitarian work. RIHF Esteemed Guests The 4th RIHF features notable attendees and speakers, including the Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan and the Saudi Ambassador to the US, Princess Reema Bandar Al Saud. They also include the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus; the President of the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA), Abdullah Al-Ghamdi; and the Director-General of the International Organization for Migration, Amy Pope, among others. KSrelief Humanitarian Efforts Since its establishment in 2015, KSrelief has led Saudi Arabia's humanitarian efforts across many countries. So far, KSrelief has implemented 3,355 projects in 106 countries in collaboration with 466 partners, with a total cost surpassing $7 billion. According to KSrelief latest data, the top countries receiving KSrelief aid are Yemen ($4.5 billion), Palestine ($512 million), Syria ($476 million), and Somalia ($235 million). KSrelief projects focus on critical sectors, including food, education, health, water and sanitation, benefiting millions of people in need. In November 2024, KSrelief and Al-Rabeeah received global health and humanitarian leadership awards from the National Council on US-Arab Relations in recognition of their relief efforts. Al-Rabeeah said that this award is an international acknowledgement of Saudi Arabia's significant role in relief efforts through KSrelief. Short link : Post Views: 48
