A new report highlights Saudi aid’s contribution to the wellbeing of developing countries

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Humanitarian relief packages have helped displaced communities survive the winter along the Pakistan border. (Supplied)
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Humanitarian relief packages have helped displaced communities survive the winter along the Pakistan border. (Supplied)
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Humanitarian relief packages have helped displaced communities survive the winter along the Pakistan border. (Supplied)
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KSrelief has supported clinics providing prosthetic limbs to landmine victims in Yemen. (Supplied)
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Saudi Arabia is supporting continuing de-mining operations in Yemen. (Supplied)
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King Salman Relief Center distributes more than 21 tons of food baskets in the Afghan capital on Jan. 6, 2022. (SPA)
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Humanitarian relief packages have helped displaced communities survive the winter along the Pakistan border. (Supplied)
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KSRelief has funded water supply projects in numerous communities in Africa and Asia. (Supplied)
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King Salman Relief Center performed 169 open-heart surgeries and catheterization in the city of Mukalla during the month of December. (SPA)
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Schoolchildren worldwide have also benefitted from Saudi aid. (Supplied)
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Thousands of indigent patients have benefitted from special surgical procedures funded by Saudi aid worldwide. (Supplied)
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King Salman Relief Center continues to distribute shelter aid in a number of Jordanian governorates. (SPA )
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Updated 08 January 2022
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A new report highlights Saudi aid’s contribution to the wellbeing of developing countries

  • KSRelief paper, “Why the World Needs Partnership with Saudi Arabia,” details Kingdom’s long track record of generosity
  • Saudi Arabia has donated significantly to the wellbeing of over 150 countries for more than 46 years

JEDDAH: Since the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in 1970 calling on economically advanced countries to contribute at least 0.7 percent of their gross national income to developing countries in aid, the worldwide need for humanitarian and development assistance has moved in only one direction: Upward.

The latest Global Humanitarian Overview notes that 235 million people are in need and face an uncertain future, and that the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered “the deepest global recession since the 1930s.”

Looking on the bright side, however, the past two decades have seen many aid conferences and fund-raising events being organized and a steady increase in the number of aid providers. The humanitarian and development assistance provided by Saudi Arabia alone is a testament to the significant impact that foreign aid, in combination with clear policies, efficiency and accountability, has been making on the lives of people in the recipient countries.

In 2020, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs financial tracking service showed that Saudi Arabia ranked sixth among the world’s most generous donors, providing 3 percent of global humanitarian aid. In October 2021, the Kingdom ranked third among the world’s top donors, its share of humanitarian assistance having risen to 5 percent.

For quite some time, the assistance provided by Saudi Arabia neither received the media recognition it merited nor found prominence in international aid platforms. The Kingdom itself did not publicize data or reports related to foreign aid, opting to keep a low profile in keeping with Saudi culture and the Islamic practice of preserving the dignity of the recipient during charitable giving. 

But now, a research paper titled “Why the World Needs Partnership with Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia’s Global Humanitarian and Development Aid,” has shed light on how assistance provided by Saudi Arabia to developing countries worldwide has contributed significantly to their well-being.

FASTFACT

$5,211,331,962

Financial support from Saudi Arabia to different UN agencies

Published by the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, the paper unpacks the Kingdom’s humanitarian and development agenda, outlining the various categories of aid, where it is disbursed (by country and region), the targeted sectors and how it has evolved over time. It also highlights Saudi assistance to developing countries in their efforts to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and support provided to in-country refugees.

The author of the paper, Makki Hamid, who is the director of research and information at King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, said the Saudi Fund for Development, the Kingdom’s primary development aid provider, has generously financed projects in different fields — notably health, agriculture, irrigation, electricity and transportation — over the years in a large number of countries.

“Saudi development aid has been provided in forms of grants and concessional loans and has provided significant funding as budget and deposits in central banks of many low- and middle-income countries,” he told Arab News. “Such budget support and deposits contribute to strengthen and enhance the economy of these countries.”

As the paper notes, Saudi Arabia has an extensive history of providing aid to developing countries affected by natural disasters and countries in need of immediate assistance. It was reporting its aid data to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development–Development Assistance Committee for many years as an aggregated data set, until in 2018, when it became a participant member of the OECD–DAC, represented by KSRelief.

KSRelief began collating data from the Kingdom’s different aid providers to proceed with overseas aid via the UNOCHA Financial Tracking Services, the OECD-DAC and the International Aid Transparency Initiative.

Currently, Saudi Arabia provides several categories of Official Development Assistance — namely, humanitarian aid (given during emergencies), development aid (for improving the economic and social well-being of developing countries), and charitable aid (which is provided for cultural or religious purposes, such as building mosques or supporting Hajj pilgrims).

Saudi ODA is provided as financial assistance or in-kind assistance in the form of goods or services to a recipient’s organization or country. It can include food aid, vehicles, logistic support, medical supplies, medicines and equipment. The assistance is delivered through the Saudi Fund for Development, KSRelief and other donor entities registered under a unified database, the Saudi Aid Platform, established by a royal decree in 2018.

Additionally, Saudi Arabia provides aid bilaterally through governments, national non-governmental organizations, international NGOs, and multilaterally through institutions such as the UN agencies concerned and the Red Cross and Red Crescent organizations.

Through strategic partnerships, Saudi Arabia, a founding member of the UN, has provided financial aid totaling $5.2 billion to different UN agencies, with the World Food Program receiving the most ($1.9 billion), followed by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East ($955.5 million).

“Saudi Arabia provides bilateral aid based on a vigorous needs assessment to the countries and institutions eligible to receive such aid. Humanitarian and development projects are carefully identified and risk assessment is done before funding is dispatched,” Hamid told Arab News.

THE LIST

Top 10 ODA recipient countries between 1975-2021:

Yemen

Syria

Palestine

Pakistan

Sudan

Lebanon

Egypt

Morocco

Tunisia

“Funding is also paid in installments linked to clear outcomes. Monitoring and evaluation is carried out during the project implementation period to ensure that aid reaches the beneficiaries and makes the impact intended to achieve.”

Among its many achievements, Saudi Arabia played a prominent role in 2015 in the framing of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which primarily aims to reduce poverty by at least 50 percent by 2030. From 2016 to October 2021, the Kingdom gave $24.04 billion to low- and middle-income countries to enable them to achieve the UN’s sustainable development goals. 

A 2016 report by the UN Development Program noted that assistance provided by Saudi Arabia between 2005-2014 accounted for 1.9 percent of its ODA/GNI, breaking a record for the highest percentage achieved by a single donor.

In November 2020, as the chair of the G20 summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia succeeded in mobilizing donors to commit sizable funding to respond internationally to the COVID-19 pandemic.  According to Hamid’s report, the Kingdom’s COVID-19 international response amounted to over $825 million managed by KSRelief, including vaccines, medical supplies and medical equipment for 33 countries.

A further $10 million in financial support to the World Health Organization’s Solidarity Response Fund and about $300 million for vaccine research were provided by the Kingdom.

Overall, records show that Saudi Arabia, which has derived policy from Islamic teachings since its foundation, has contributed significantly to the well-being of over 150 countries for more than 46 years (1975-2021) through aid totaling $65.7 billion.

INNUMBERS

IN-COUNTRY ASSISTANCE TO “VISITORS”

Exemption from immigration fees $6.68 billion

Education support $4.96 billion

Free healthcare $4.37 billion

“The Kingdom is not a new donor. It has been providing significant humanitarian and development assistance to many countries around the world,” Hamid said, putting Saudi Arabia’s outsized contribution as an aid donor in perspective.

“However, in recent years, aid provided by Saudi Arabia has been systematically documented and registered in international aid platforms. Also, there is significant increase in aid provided by the Kingdom to combat the pandemic and for emergencies to countries such as Yemen, Somalia, Syria and Palestine. These are the factors that have contributed to the rise of Saudi Arabia’s global humanitarian ranking.”

Last but not least, as the paper notes, Saudi Arabia is home to the sixth-largest population of refugees worldwide. The 1.07 million refugees hosted by the Kingdom in recent years are equivalent to 5.5 percent of its population.

Unlike other countries that keep refugees in special camps, Saudi Arabia regards them as visitors, grants them an exemption from immigration fees, provides free healthcare and education for their children and gives them permission to work.

Such assistance and support, contributing to the financial stability of the visitors, amounted to $16.01 billion from 2011 to 2020.


Health campaign promotes quality care in Saudi Arabia

Updated 04 November 2024
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Health campaign promotes quality care in Saudi Arabia

RIYADH: The Ministry of Health has launched a campaign to promote health by enhancing access to and the quality and efficiency of health services and raising awareness of health risks, the Saudi Press Agency reported Monday.

The campaign “A Vibrant, Healthy Nation” introduces a modern healthcare model, offering integrated, individual-centered services aligned with Vision 2030’s goal of fostering a healthy society.

The ministry is committed to “enhancing public health, improving quality of life, and raising the Kingdom’s global healthcare standing.”

The campaign highlights the health transformation initiative’s positive impacts and informs citizens about its main features, aiming to engage all segments of society, SPA reported.

It emphasizes a shift from treating illness to prevention, involving primary care doctors and early detection programs.


Saudi environment ministry launches program to develop green tech

Updated 04 November 2024
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Saudi environment ministry launches program to develop green tech

  • Scheme seeks new ways to repurpose wastewater, looks at impact of microplastics

RIYADH: The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has opened applications for a new program to find ways to develop sustainable technologies in Saudi Arabia.

The Sustainable Innovation Fellowship Program aims to find ways to repurpose by-products from water treatment for the benefit of the environment; develop sustainable technologies for recycling membranes used in water treatment; and explore methods to reuse treated wastewater in desert and arid regions.

Supported by the Environment Fund and the Research, Development and Innovation Authority, the fellowship program will also assess the environmental impact of microplastics in water treatment plants, sewage, and wastewater.

In line with Saudi Vision 2030, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture is also introducing new e-services in accordance with international standards.


Industry meets creativity at Athar festival in Riyadh

Updated 04 November 2024
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Industry meets creativity at Athar festival in Riyadh

  • With workshops, discussions, and awards, the festival aims to drive growth in Saudi Arabia’s creative sectors

The second Athar Saudi Festival of Creativity will take place in Riyadh from Nov. 5 to 6.

Hosted by UAE-based Motivate Media Group and communications consultancy TRACCS, the festival will gather over 1,500 professionals and leaders from the creative marketing industry, featuring 100 regional and international speakers.

Ian Fairservice, managing partner and group editor in chief of Motivate Media Group, will chair the event, alongside Vice Chairman Mohammed Al-Ayed, CEO of TRACCS.

Pre-festival activities began on Nov. 3 with the Young Talent Academies, including the Student Creative Academy (in partnership with the Middle East Communications Network), the Student Marketers Academy, the NextGen Creative Academy, and the NextGen Marketers Academy.

These academies, featuring keynote sessions from industry experts, workshops, and a 24-hour hackathon, are open to full-time university students aged 18 to 25 and professionals under 30 in creative communications, marketing, or advertising.

The festival will continue on Tuesday and Wednesday with panel discussions, presentations, and fireside chats focused on redefining and growing the creative landscape in Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, and beyond, covering various sectors such as sports, entertainment, and tourism.

The event will conclude with the Athar Awards ceremony on the evening of Nov. 6.

Notable speakers include Sir Martin Sorrell, founder and executive chairman of S4 Capital PLC; Matt McKie, director of marketing for Manchester United; Waseem Kashan, executive director of marketing at ROSHN Group; Yahya Hamidaddin, vice president of corporate communications at ACWA Power; and Houda Tohme, CEO of Havas Media Middle East.

Sessions and keynotes will explore themes such as purpose-driven marketing, brand growth strategies, artificial intelligence, technology, cross-sector innovation, and unlocking creative potential.


Saudi Arabia and Iraq sign MoU on military cooperation

Updated 04 November 2024
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Saudi Arabia and Iraq sign MoU on military cooperation

  • Two defense ministers reviewed longstanding relations between their countries, focusing on ways to enhance defense ties

RIYADH: Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and his Iraqi counterpart Thabet Al-Abbasi signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday aimed at strengthening cooperation in the military field.

The agreement, signed during a high-level meeting in Riyadh, represents a significant step forward in defense collaboration between the Kingdom and Iraq, Saudi Press Agency reported.

During their discussions, the two ministers reviewed the longstanding relations between their countries, focusing on ways to enhance defense ties.

They emphasized the importance of continued cooperation to foster regional security and stability, particularly amid ongoing regional tensions.

Both ministers discussed recent developments and shared efforts aimed at de-escalating conflicts, prioritizing actions that support peace and security in the region.

The MoU establishes a framework for increased collaboration on military matters, allowing Saudi Arabia and Iraq to address shared security challenges more effectively and pursue mutual goals in defense, SPA added. 


Saudi Islamic affairs minister receives Chinese envoy

Updated 04 November 2024
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Saudi Islamic affairs minister receives Chinese envoy

Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance Dr. Abdullatif Al-Asheikh received Chinese Ambassador to the Kingdom Chang Hua in Riyadh on Monday.

During the meeting, they exchanged cordial talks and discussed issues of common interest, particularly those related to Islamic work and promoting moderation and peaceful coexistence, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar received Ambassador of Iran to the Kingdom Alireza Enayati in Riyadh on Monday. They discussed bilateral relations and other topics of common interest.