RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s humanitarian air bridge has been providing much-needed aid for people affected by the recent devastating earthquake in Turkiye and Syria.
The 10th Saudi relief plane took off on Wednesday from Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport headed for Gaziantep Airport in Turkiye with 90 tons of food items and medical supplies on board.
The cargo included medication for chronic diseases, painkillers, and cold and fever solutions for adults and children. The plane was also carrying shelter materials such as tents, blankets, kits, and rugs.
The shipment was part of the Saudi relief airlift dispatched by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, on the directives of the monarch and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to help quake victims.
Samer Al-Jutaily, the official spokesman for KSrelief, told Arab News: “Turkey has made a call for help, and we are responding to it. The air bridge is going to continue. We are going to continue our work until we feel that there is no need on the ground.
“We are not only sending planes with aid, but we also have teams on the ground, like the Saudi rescue and search team, teams from the Saudi Red Crescent, and KSrelief volunteers.
“We are now thinking of how we can make a sustainable impact on the ground. One of the initiatives, which we have already started, is to build permanent houses in Syria and Turkiye,” he added.
KSrelief in partnership with the UN and its humanitarian organizations will host the third Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum, one of the largest global gatherings of leaders in the sector, on Feb. 20 and 21.
Al-Jutaily thanked King Salman for his patronage of the forum.
He said the event offered a unique opportunity to bring about meaningful change in the humanitarian field and would contribute to saving the lives of millions of people in need while improving humanitarian work through scientific research and data quality and encouraging the involvement of youth in aid work.
The forum aims to strengthen dialogue between humanitarian workers and will be attended by leading figures, donors, practitioners, and researchers to discuss legislative, informational, and logistical mechanisms for delivering aid.
It will also address challenges and seek innovative practical solutions to humanitarian issues in line with international principles and standards and sustainable development goals.
The goals provide a blueprint toward achieving a more sustainable future by tackling global challenges including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice.
Prominent figures due to participate in the forum include Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar, Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the UN Martin Griffiths, EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic, Saudi Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Ahmed Al-Rajhi, and Saudi Minister of Health Fahad Al-Jalajel.
Key organizations taking part will include the World Health Organization, World Food Programme, International Organization for Migration, the UN Development Programme, and UN Children’s Fund.
As part of the forum, KSrelief and Almaarefa University have jointly organized a hackathon titled “Humanitarian Action and Sustainable Development” that will invite programmers, students, graduates, and amateurs of promising technologies to compete in creating innovative solutions to humanitarian challenges.
