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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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.


Saudi, Japan officials discuss relations in Tokyo

Updated 19 February 2025
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Saudi, Japan officials discuss relations in Tokyo

TOKYO: Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Hisashi Matsumoto met with Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador Ghazi Faisal S. Binzagr on Wednesday to discuss various issues, including the two nations’ recently launched Strategic Partnership Council.

Matsumoto highlighted that this year marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, and expressed hope relations would continue to develop in various fields.

Binzagr echoed Matsumoto’s sentiments and thanked him for attending the recent Japan-Saudi Vision 2030 Ministerial Roundtable in Riyadh.


KSrelief organizes training in Aden on cholera, infection controls

Updated 19 February 2025
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KSrelief organizes training in Aden on cholera, infection controls

  • 170 doctors, nurses and healthcare workers from across Yemen receive training

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief recently held a training course in Aden governorate for healthcare personnel to treat cholera patients and institute infection controls, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The course was held in partnership with the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health, as a part of the cholera-prevention project in Yemen.

A total of 170 doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers from across Yemen received training on Feb. 12 and 13.

The course covered epidemiological definitions, transmission methods, risk factors, clinical manifestations, dehydration assessment, cholera management during pregnancy, and treatment of malnourished children.

The initiative is a part of Saudi Arabia’s efforts, through KSrelief, to enhance Yemen’s healthcare system, particularly the management of infectious diseases.


MWL hosts forum to foster dialogue, promote Islamic unity

MWL will host second edition of the Global Conference for Building Bridges Between Islamic Schools of Thought and Sects in March
Updated 19 February 2025
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MWL hosts forum to foster dialogue, promote Islamic unity

  • Makkah conference will feature senior figures from various sects, denominations
  • Guide to common Islamic principles to be launched during forum

RIYADH: The Muslim World League will host the second edition of the Global Conference for Building Bridges Between Islamic Schools of Thought and Sects on March 6-7 in Makkah, Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The conference will bring together leading muftis, scholars, intellectuals, and representatives from senior Islamic councils, jurisprudential academies, and religious institutions across different sects and denominations.

It will serve as a unified platform for fostering constructive dialogue among diverse Islamic traditions as well as coordinating efforts and resources to strengthen Islamic unity, while ensuring mutual respect for doctrinal diversity.

The forum also aims to overcome sectarian disputes that have historically led to division and conflict, and promote fraternity and cohesion through practical initiatives.

This year’s conference marks a critical step in transforming the principles outlined in the inaugural conference into actionable programs, SPA said.

Discussions will address issues such as enhancing intra-Islamic dialogue and cooperation.

A highlight of the conference will be the launch of the encyclopedia of Islamic intellectual convergence, prepared by the Center for Safeguarding Intellect.

The encyclopedia, developed with contributions from 60 Islamic scholars and thinkers, aims to serve as a comprehensive guide to common Islamic principles.


Arab countries welcome Saudi Arabia’s hosting of talks between US, Russia

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio shake hands in Riyadh. (SPA)
Updated 18 February 2025
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Arab countries welcome Saudi Arabia’s hosting of talks between US, Russia

  • Russia, US agree to start working toward ending conflict in Ukraine

RIYADH: Arab countries on Tuesday welcomed Saudi efforts to host talks in Riyadh between the US and Russia on the Ukraine conflict.

Russia and the US agreed to start working toward ending the conflict in Ukraine and improving their diplomatic and economic ties, the two countries’ top diplomats said after the talks.

The UAE expressed “hope that the talks will serve as a significant step towards bridging differences, fostering communication and advancing dialogue to bring an end to the nearly three-year-long conflict,” the Emirates News Agency reported.

Its Ministry of Foreign Affairs commended the efforts of Saudi Arabia in hosting the talks “which reflect the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting international peace efforts, and achieving global stability and prosperity.”

The ministry reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to supporting peaceful resolutions to conflicts and promoting international cooperation in addressing global challenges.

Majed Al-Ansari, the spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, welcomed Saudi efforts to lead the talks that “will hopefully result in peace in a struggle that has gone on for a very long time.”

Al-Ansari added: “We have called from day one for both parties to engage in a peaceful resolution of this war. This war has had huge humanitarian costs and great geopolitical (and) economic impact globally.”

Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry also welcomed the talks and expressed the hope that they would “lead to achieving their desired goals in enhancing security and stability in the world.”

Sufyan Qudah, Jordan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, commended Saudi Arabia for its pivotal role in hosting the talks and said they highlighted the Kingdom’s continuous efforts to foster comprehensive and just peace worldwide.

The Palestinian presidency said the talks were a culmination of the wise policy pursued by Saudi Arabia’s leadership, adding that it was “a policy that fosters regional and international stability and affirms Riyadh’s commitment to its effective role in achieving peace and security.”


Manga exhibition in Jeddah explores evolution of Japanese artform

Updated 18 February 2025
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Manga exhibition in Jeddah explores evolution of Japanese artform

  • Event strengthens bonds of friendship, cooperation between Kingdom and Japan, says consul-general

JEDDAH: As Saudi Arabia and Japan celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations, the Consulate-General of Japan in Jeddah is marking the milestone with Manga Hokusai Manga, a three-week art exhibition running until March 8.

Organized in collaboration with the Jeddah Historical Development Project and the Japan Foundation, the exhibition explores the evolution of Japanese manga from the 19th-century works of ukiyo-e master Katsushika Hokusai to the modern format that has gained widespread popularity in the Kingdom.

‘Futatasumakura,’ 1981 by Hinao Sugiura. (AN photos/Supplied)

Hosted at Bait Amir Bahar in Al-Balad, one of Jeddah’s historic homes, the exhibition highlights both the similarities and contrasts between the artistic styles while showcasing the cultural depth of Japanese storytelling.

Rather than simply focusing on how Hokusai’s work influenced manga, the exhibition invites visitors to compare both styles and understand what makes them unique. It examines themes such as visual storytelling, artistic techniques and cultural participation across different eras.

HIGHLIGHT

The exhibition in Jeddah explores the evolution of Japanese manga from the 19th-century works of ukiyo-e master Katsushika Hokusai to the modern format that has gained widespread popularity in the Kingdom.

Hokusai’s manga drawings, while sometimes resembling cartoons, encompass a wide variety of subjects, from nature to human expressions and everyday life. Unlike modern comics, his work was not centered on humor but balanced artistic instruction with entertainment — much like how manga today combines storytelling with visual artistry.

‘Portrait of Hokuai,’ 2015, by Sawa Sakura. (AN photos/Supplied)

Hokusai created his manga using woodblock printing, transferring the images onto paper in three primary colors: Black, gray and pale peach. The collection, comprising 4,000 illustrations across almost 800 pages, was published between 1814 and 1878 in 15 volumes bound with string.

The phrase denshin kaishu, which precedes the title, translates to “transmitting the spirit and learning the craft,” highlighting the collection’s educational purpose.

Hosted at Bait Amir Bahar in Al-Balad, one of Jeddah’s historic homes, the Manga Hokusai Manga exhibition showcases the cultural depth of Japanese storytelling. (AN photos/Supplied)

Hokusai Manga was originally used as a reference book for aspiring artists, much like today’s “How to Draw Manga” guides. Similar to modern fan-made manga, his work encouraged learning, copying and artistic experimentation.

In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Daisuke Yamamoto, the consul-general of Japan in Jeddah, described Hokusai as one of Japan’s greatest artists, modernizing traditional print styles through innovations in subject matter and composition.

Daisuke Yamamoto, Consul-general of Japan in Jeddah

“Hokusai transformed the ukiyo-e genre traditionally focused on images of fleeting pleasures — by shifting its emphasis from people to landscapes and the changing seasons,” Yamamoto said. “His print designs invited audiences to witness nature’s transience, capturing birds in flight, flowers in bloom and water in motion. Through his work, he blended an acute awareness of the fleeting with a deep appreciation for the timeless.”

According to an official statement, Hokusai’s work captured Japan’s diverse landscapes, portraying scenes and activities connected by shared symbols and narratives. He was among the first artists to both shape and be shaped by globalization, drawing from international influences and later inspiring European artists who adopted his decorative motifs, serialized compositions and vision of contemporary society. To this day, countless artists continue to engage with his legacy.

(This exhibition) provides an opportunity for a wide range of people to know about each other’s culture, which will be reflected in the future in their understanding of each other and facilitate all other aspects of cooperation.

Daisuke Yamamoto, Consul-general of Japan in Jeddah

Reflecting on the exhibition’s significance, Yamamoto highlighted its role in strengthening cultural ties between Saudi Arabia and Japan: “Holding this exhibition and other cultural events basically confirmed the excellent cultural cooperation between Japan and Saudi Arabia, and strengthens the bonds of friendship and cooperation, and provides an opportunity for a wide range of people to know about each other’s culture, which will be reflected in the future in their understanding of each other and facilitate all other aspects of cooperation.”

Hokusai’s manga drawings, while sometimes resembling cartoons, encompass a wide variety of subjects, from nature to human expressions and everyday life. (AN photos/Supplied)

Since the 1970s, Hokusai himself has appeared as a character in manga, reimagined by various artists in styles ranging from realistic portrayals to fantastical interpretations. This reflects manga’s evolution, blending historical figures with contemporary storytelling techniques.

Ukiyo-e, the popular art of the 18th and 19th centuries, foreshadowed comic techniques such as visualizing the invisible. However, its speech-like balloons often depicted dreams rather than dialogue, and weather lines were integrated into the scene rather than used as abstract symbols.

Hosted at Bait Amir Bahar in Al-Balad, one of Jeddah’s historic homes, the Manga Hokusai Manga exhibition showcases the cultural depth of Japanese storytelling. (AN photos/Supplied)

Hokusai’s most popular collection of printed drawings was named “manga.” While the collection is primarily known for its diverse subjects and painting style, its frequent portrayal of exaggerated expressions and acrobatic scenes has led many to associate “manga” with cartoons or humorous images.

When compared to the work of his contemporary, Utagawa Kuniyoshi, it becomes clear that Hokusai’s manga images were not necessarily intended to be funny.

In 19th-century Japan, the success of Hokusai’s manga was rooted in the balance between the mundane and the whimsical, instruction and entertainment. This blend helped secure the collection’s lasting appeal.

Today’s Japanese comics share similarities in content, particularly in their focus on capturing movement, and in their wide circulation, thanks to advancements in reproduction technology.