KABUL/MARIB, Yemen: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) on Monday launched relief activities worth $1 million in five Afghan provinces.
The center will distribute 20,000 food baskets among needy people in the war-torn country during the month of Ramadan. The aid program was launched in the presence of Saudi Ambassador to Afghanistan Jassim Al-Khalidi, Afghan Minister for Refugees and Repatriation Sayed Hussain Alemi Balkhi and other senior Afghan officials.
KSRelief is actively involved in humanitarian work in various war zones and areas suffering from grave threats or hit by natural calamities.
The center also distributed 3,100 cartons of meat among 12,400 needy people in different parts of Yemen’s Al-Mahra governorate. On Monday, KSRelief distributed 2,600 cartons of dates among 15,600 poor in Al-Mukalla directorate of Hadramaut governorate.
Saudi Arabia’s financial contributions to international organizations and entities have reached $929,711,258, according to official statistics.
Development aid amounted to $493.88 billion and humanitarian aid to $353.44 billion, while philanthropic aid reached $82.381 billion.
The top five recipient countries of aid from Saudi Arabia are Yemen, Syria, Egypt, Niger and Mauritania.
Recently, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator has praised the Saudi government and KSRelief for their humanitarian work in Yemen.
Mark Lowcock sent a letter of thanks to KSRelief’s Supervisor General Abdullah Al-Rabeeah.
“I would like to thank you for participating in the ‘high-level pledging event for the humanitarian crisis in Yemen’ that took place on Feb. 26, and particularly for your government’s generous contribution to support the humanitarian response in Yemen,” Lowcock wrote.
“The event was a great success to which member states and partners pledged $2.62 billion in support of the Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan,” he added.
“Your generous pledge of $750 million was central to the success of the event, and will significantly contribute to the alleviation of the suffering of the people of Yemen.”
Saudi Arabia is a key partner in the multilateral humanitarian system, Lowcock said, adding: “I look forward to our continued collaboration to ensure that together, we provide the Yemeni people with opportunities for a better future.”
The number of Yemenis who benefited last year from medical services provided by KSRelief was 2,501,897.
The center provides medical services to all Yemenis in coordination with the Yemeni Higher Relief Committee, represented by the Yemeni Ministry of Health and Population, and with local and international partners.
The Kingdom has undertaken a number of initiatives, including a program to rehabilitate child soldiers recruited by the Houthi militias currently fighting coalition forces in the country, and the Saudi Project for Landmine Clearance in Yemen.
