CAIRO — King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) in Cairo participated virtually on Wednesday in regional consultations on the Global Compact on Refugees for the Arab Region, which was organized by the Arab League in cooperation with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Director of Urgent Relief Department at KSrelief Fahd bin Ayed Al-Osseimi represented the center at the consultations. Representatives of international humanitarian institutions, academic institutions and stakeholders were present.

Al-Osseimi said Saudi Arabia offers various humanitarian assistance to the needy in the brotherly and friendly countries that suffer from crises and humanitarian catastrophes, out of its belief and vision of being an effective member in the international community. He said Saudi relief, humanitarian and development aid covered many developing countries, where its charitable efforts are still ongoing.

He also referred to Saudi Arabia’s top pillars in supporting refugees, such as assisting the needy in the world and helping achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in developing countries, offering assistance neutrally away from any non-humanitarian or non-developmental motives, applying international standards in relief, humanitarian and development programs, thanks to the high levels of professionalism and efficiency of workers in the humanitarian, development and relief sector, and guaranteeing the delivery of assistance to its beneficiaries and ensuring the assistance is not used for other purposes.

Al-Osseimi added that total Saudi assistance offered to refugees and displaced people around the world over the past two decades exceeded $17 billion, of which $1 billion was allocated to the UN and international organizations.

The total number of projects dedicated to refugees outside Saudi Arabia between 1992 and 2021 reached 305 schemes with a total value of $963,233,000 in 10 countries, including Syria, Palestine, Yemen, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Afghanistan. The schemes covered sectors such as food and agricultural security, shelter, health, early recovery, education, water, environmental sanitation, security and protection, among others.

He also pointed out that the total support offered to UNRWA since its establishment exceeded $1 billion, while the Saudi support to UNHCR exceeded $300 million. He also referred to Saudi Arabia’s support and participation in many forums for supporting refugees and displaced people.

The director also noted that Saudi Arabia has contributed to supporting countries hosting refugees around the world and offering development support to the infrastructure sectors in host countries to help alleviate the burdens.

He said Saudi Arabia is the third biggest country in the world in terms of hosting migrants, where the number totaled 13 million migrants in 2020, which equals 37% of the total population of the country.

Al-Osseimi also spoke about refugees on visitor status in Saudi Arabia, whose total number stands at 1,095,000 people from Yemeni, Syria and Rohingya (Myanmar). These peope are given residency inside Saudi Arabia until the improvement of conditions in their respective countries or they travel to other countries. The Kingdom provides them with health and educational services free of cost and allow them to grab job opportunities.

The Saudi government is keen on integrating them in society throughout their stay in whichever regions of Saudi Arabia and therefore not housing them in refugee camps. — SPA