New York – Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, the advisor to the Saudi Royal Court and supervisor-general of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, actively participated in 78th UN General Assembly meeting in New York City, organized by Saudi Arabia, Sweden, and the European Union (EU), to address the humanitarian funding gap.
The session was attended by Martin Griffiths, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, as well as Swedish Minister for International Cooperation, Development and Foreign Trade, Johan Vore Sell, and EU commissioner for crisis management, Janez Lennar Schich. The meeting was moderated by Lisa Doten from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
During the session, Dr. Al-Rabeeah stressed the importance of combining humanitarian efforts to expand the involvement of donor countries, organizations, and individuals. He emphasized the need to enhance coordination and the impact of humanitarian aid to maximize its effectiveness. Dr. Al-Rabeeah highlighted Saudi Arabia’s annual “Gift of Dates” campaign, which is carried out in partnership with the World Food Programme, providing over $136 million worth of dates to 72 countries worldwide.
Dr. Al-Rabeeah also highlighted the significant contributions of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) in response to the global COVID-19 crisis. KSrelief has provided vaccines, medical devices, medicines, and care units to support the global efforts against the pandemic.
In addition to financial support, Dr. Al-Rabeeah emphasized the importance of encouraging countries and donors to provide both in-kind and financial resources. By motivating and mobilizing resources, the impact of humanitarian aid can be maximized, ensuring that support reaches those in need.
The high-level meeting served as a platform to discuss strategies and initiatives to bridge the humanitarian funding gap and strengthen coordination among international stakeholders. Dr. Al-Rabeeah’s active participation demonstrated Saudi Arabia’s commitment to humanitarian causes and its dedication to working collaboratively with other nations and organizations to address global challenges and improve the lives of those affected by crises and disasters.
