KUWAIT: Kuwait's prominent contributions to the humanitarian field had an international impact and recognition, as the UN celebrates the World Humanitarian Day today. Kuwait had been providing humanitarian aid all over the world ahead of its independence. However, the contributions and efforts had strongly developed since His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah came into position in 2006.

His Highness, who was awarded the title of 'Humanitarian Leader' by the UN, had taken the responsibility to aid people in natural disaster-struck countries such as Somalia, Turkey, Japan and the Philippines. Meanwhile, Kuwait also played a huge role in easing the suffering of those living in conflict-struck countries in the Arab World, including Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Palestine. The country also held three donors conferences for Syria, which resulted in pledges of $300 million in the first conference in 2013, $500 million in 2014 and $500 million in 2015. Kuwaiti charity organizations including the Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) and the International Islamic Charitable Organization (IICO) had been continuously delivering aid to Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon.

Palestinian cause

As for the Palestinian cause, Kuwait had also been delivering humanitarian aid to provide citizens with their basic needs amidst Israeli siege and war. Moreover, His Highness Sheikh Sabah had donated $34 million for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in January 2009 to develop its role. Kuwait had also donated $200 million for the Palestinian government for the next five years in March 2009, as part of the plan to reconstruct Gaza after the Israeli war.

In 2012, the country had signed an agreement with the World Bank to contribute $50 million to the Palestinian program for reform and reconstruction affiliated with the bank. In addition, Kuwait had organized many humanitarian aid campaigns to aid people in Yemen, as the war had waged in the country.

As for natural disasters aid, Kuwait had donated $10 million for Bangladesh which was struck by a tornado in November 2007. Meanwhile, it had also aided Japan with five million oil barrel (worth about $500 million) upon the destructive tsunami earthquake that struck the country in March 2011. In July 2012, Kuwait had delivered humanitarian aid worth $10 million to Somalia to aid people suffering from famine and drought.

In 2012, the country had donated $250,000 for victims of Turkey's earthquake. Moreover, it had provided $10 million to the Philippines, suffering the aftermath of a devastating tornado in 2014, while also contributing $5 million to the World Health Organization (WHO) to fight the Ebola virus in the same year.

Social assistances

As the celebration for the World Humanitarian Day begins today, Kuwait continues its efforts globally and locally to help the needy under the guidelines set by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Providing help for to about 50,000 people in Kuwait, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor had launched a new service to provide social assistances. The ministry launched an automated system for social assistance aimed at shortening the period for paperwork to two days which in turn would help the needy and social affairs benefactors to receive aid as soon as possible.

Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind Al-Subaih said meanwhile that Kuwait is one of the most countries interested in sponsoring humanitarian aid, locally and internationally. Subaih, who is also Minister of State for Planning and Development, added that Kuwait's engagement in various philanthropic activities across the globe earned it the UN honoring of 'Humanitarian Center' and His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as 'Humanitarian Leader.' The minister pointed out that Kuwait always strives to organize and support humanitarian aid to be delivered in a timely manner to those who needs it, especially elderly, orphans and individuals of special needs.

Rebuilding societies

Humanitarian aid is considered a cross-continents cry for rebuilding underprivileged societies and for relieving aftermaths of natural and man-made disasters, IICO Chairman Dr Abdullah Al-Maatouq stressed yesterday. The World Humanitarian Day is celebrated to recognize aid workers who have lost their lives in the course of their duty, said Maatouq, who is also Kuwait's Humanitarian Envoy to the UN.

It is also an opportunity to spread awareness on how aid workers put their lives under the fire to bring back life to crises-torn nations and to provide better futures for them. An estimated 110 million people around the world are in need of humanitarian help, he said, adding the Arab world alone has witnessed an unsettling increase of refugees due to war in Syria, Palestine and Yemen.

As natural and man-made disasters are on the rise every year, Maatouq pointed out that there is a need to recruit more philanthropic volunteers and workers safeguarded by their rights to be protected while carrying out their duties towards the disaster-stricken people. He added that Kuwait has left a huge imprint for the world to see in regards to helping others. This dedication to philanthropic activities earned His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah a UN honor of naming him as a 'Humanitarian Leader' and Kuwait as a 'Humanitarian Center.'

Kuwaiti help has reached many parts of the world. On the Arab countries front, the Gulf nation showed support to the Syrians by holding a UN-sponsored donors' conference to raise funds to help the Syrian refugees due to war in their homeland, and allocating $200 million to rebuild Iraq and $100 million for Yemen. On the international arena, Kuwait has extended a helping hand to Pakistan, Turkey, the Philippines, Indonesia, Mauritania, Somalia, Benin, Niger, and Mali.

KRCS

In celebration of the World Humanitarian Day, the KRCS continues to provide aid and assistance to people in the region and the world under the guidelines of the Kuwaiti leadership. In recent years the KRCS focused its efforts on those affected by the Syrian crisis that erupted in 2011. In this regard, Chairman of the KRCS Dr Hilal Al-Sayer said that the assembly has stepped up its efforts and humanitarian relief to the Syrian refugees in neighboring countries such as Jordan and Lebanon since the start of the crisis. The humanitarian aids delivered to the Syrian refugees by the KRCS came upon direction of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Sayer said.

The KRCS has worked in the implementation of many relief activities to help refugees in Jordan and Lebanon at a cost of $20 million, Sayer said. He stressed that this humanitarian duty required everyone to provide all aspects of support and assistance to the Syrians and to stand by them in this crisis they are going through. He also stressed the full readiness of the Assembly to meet the different needs of Syrian refugees.

The World Humanitarian Day is a celebration to honor personnel and groups who are working to better the status of humans worldwide. It marks the day on which the then Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello and 21 of his colleagues were killed in the bombing of the UN Headquarters in Baghdad in 2003. - KUNA