08/20/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/20/2024 05:46
Under the patronage and attendance of His Excellency the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Defense Sheikh Dr. Abdullah Meshal Al-Sabah, the Kuwait Fund for Development, represented by the Director of Operations, Mr. Abdullah Al-Mesaibih, participated in a ceremony organized by the Ministry of Defense to mark the World Humanitarian Day. The event was attended by representatives of several local and international organizations such as the United Nations, the Kuwait Red Crescent Society, the Ministry of Defense, the Patients Helping Fund Society, and the Al-Sadu Weaving Cooperative Society.
In a speech during the ceremony, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Defense commended the efforts exerted by the participating parties at the regional and international levels in aiding those in need around the world, noting that "This ceremony is to honor the entities that have played a prominent role in humanitarian work, both inside and outside Kuwait."
He said, "Your generous contributions and dedication to providing assistance and help those in need reflect the spirit of solidarity and brotherhood that we were raised on and learned from our customs and noble Islamic values. Humanitarian work is a noble message that transcends borders to reach all corners of the world. Therefore, your dedication to providing support and assistance to the needy is an example for all to follow."
For his part, Abdullah Al-Mesaibih affirmed in a similar speech that "the Kuwait Fund has been keen to enhance international solidarity by providing humanitarian relief assistance to the affected peoples in various parts of the world," adding that the Fund has intensified its humanitarian assistance over the past two decades, making emergency relief for refugees in conflict and disaster areas an integral part of its activities around the world.
Al- Mesaibih also pointed out that the State of Kuwait, through the Kuwait Fund, has taken the initiative to provide all types of support to alleviate the suffering of Syrian refugees since the outbreak of the civil war, in addition to implementing many other health, education, and service projects for Syrian displaced persons in the host countries.
In this context, he said, "These aids included the implementation of projects serving Syrian refugees who settled in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, and Iraq, in addition to providing support to organizations concerned with aiding Syrian refugees, where the total grants provided by the Kuwait Fund in this field alone amounted to about USD 377.5 million."
Al- Mesaibih stated that all these efforts prompted the international community to appreciate Kuwait's role in the field of humanitarian relief work by choosing the State of Kuwait in 2014 as an international center for humanitarian efforts, and naming the late Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah a "Humanitarian Leader" in appreciation of the role of Kuwait, government and people, in the field of humanitarian aid.
For his part, the Deputy Chairman of the Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society, Anwar Al-Hasawi, expressed his appreciation in an exclusive statement for the efforts exerted by the Kuwait Fund to alleviate the suffering of residents of areas affected by disasters and conflicts. He noted that "the Kuwait Fund is one of the main resources that we rely on heavily, as meetings are held between the Society and the Fund on a continuous basis based on social responsibility, and the Fund has several effective contributions in supporting Syrian refugees in Lebanon in cooperation with the Kuwait Red Crescent Society."
He added, "the Fund also contributed, in cooperation with the Society, in aiding the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, as it financed the urgent needs of the refugees and relief supplies, medical supplies, and improving the living conditions of a large number of Rohingya refugee families in Bangladesh by providing them with safe and sustainable housing and enhancing their protection and safety, while providing primary health care services and raising community health awareness."
During the ceremony, a video was displayed highlighting the contribution of the Kuwait Fund to improving the living conditions of Syrian refugees in the (Domiz 1) and (Domiz 2) camps in northern Iraq and alleviating their suffering through the management of the State of Kuwait's grant announced by the late Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, during the International
Humanitarian Pledging Conference to support the humanitarian crisis in Syria, which, in turn, contributed, in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to providing about 1,500 shelters, in addition to electricity, water, and basic needs.
At the end of the ceremony, His Excellency the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Defense Sheikh Dr. Abdullah Meshal Al-Sabah, honored the participating parties in appreciation of their contributions and efforts in promoting humanitarian work locally, regionally, and internationally.