RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief and the World Food Programme have signed a $4.5 million cooperation agreement to help fight malnutrition in drought-affected areas of Somalia.
The funds will be used to buy 1,068 tonnes of food that will benefit close to 123,000 children and more than 57,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women in the East African nation, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.
The deal was signed by KSrelief Supervisor General Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah and WFP Executive Director Cindy Hensley McCain on the sidelines of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Al-Rabeeah and McCain discussed the latest developments in KSrelief-WFP food projects as well as ways to increase cooperation and coordination in the humanitarian and relief fields.
McCain thanked Saudi Arabia, through KSrelief, for supporting the program’s international operations, highlighting its efforts to achieve food security in countries in need.
While in New York, Al-Rabeeah also took part in the high-level event “Building a Better World Together: The Future of Humanitarian Action.”
“At this important event, we aim to explore the challenges and opportunities available to improve the future of humanitarian action and to join our efforts and resolve to align global humanitarian action with the core principles of the UN Charter and the sustainable development goals,” he said.
He discussed the challenges facing humanitarian efforts, including violations of international law, displacement, conflicts and natural disasters, which require effective mechanisms to alleviate pressure on the humanitarian aid system.
He also reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to current and future humanitarian initiatives through KSrelief, which, since its establishment in 2015, has implemented more than 3,000 projects in 102 countries, in partnership with 192 humanitarian organizations, at a cost of $7 billion.
The latest deal with the WFP is another example of the humanitarian role played by the Kingdom in the world’s most impoverished countries.
“We are aware that achieving successful future outcomes requires the implementation of sustainable solutions through innovative and proactive measures, as well as a commitment to accountability to affected populations,” Al-Rabeeah said.
