BAGHDAD: Relief aid provided by Kuwait is distributed to Iraqi refugees. - KUNAKUWAIT: Out of its humanitarian-dimensioned diplomacy, the State of Kuwait made it a mission to extend a helping hand to post-IS Iraq. Since the so-called Islamic State (IS) took over vast areas of Iraq back in 2014, which resulted in an influx of displaced, Kuwait stepped up its aid pace in order to deal with the atrocious situation through its many charity organizations, as well as state bodies.

In June 2014, the Kuwaiti cabinet made into a decision to offer urgent humanitarian aid to displaced Iraqis through concerned institutions, either state-operated, NOGs or UN-affiliated. In June 2015, Kuwait announced a $200 million donation to lessen suffering of the Iraqi people, a step warmly welcomed by the UN, as well as Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar Al-Abadi.

In November 2015, Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) announced the construction of some 500 housing units for the displaced in Iraq's Kurdistan. According to statistics coming from Iraq's Kurdistan back then, there were some 1.5 million relocated in the region, residing in 48 camps. In April 2016, over 1,350 displaced families in the city of Basra, southern Iraq have been recipients of food aid distributed by Kuwait in its ongoing campaign to provide nutritive assistance in that city.

The food aid was carried out in coordination between the Kuwait consulate in Basra, KRCS and the Red Crescent Society of Basra. It has benefited 563 displaced families. In July 2016, Kuwait made a total pledge of $176 million at the Pledging Conference in Support of Iraq in Washington, directing the bulk of the funds toward health and medical facilities.

The announcement was made by Assistant Foreign Minister for Follow Up and Coordination Affairs, Nasser Al-Sabeeh, at the one-day event led by US Secretary of State John Kerry, which aimed to raise more than $2 billion in new money for Iraqi cities liberated from IS. That goal has been exceeded, and announcements continue to be made. Kuwait co-hosted the conference, along with the US, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and Japan.

The amount raised was intended for demining; immediate stabilization for communities, including bringing back electricity; expanded stabilization, which would strengthen communities weakened by IS; and humanitarian assistance. In September 2016, the Kuwait-based International Islamic Charity Organization (IICO) through the campaign 'we are with you' managed to accumulate over $1 million in aid for displaced Iraqis in Anbar and Salah Ad'Din provinces. It also funded the construction of eight water treatment station, in addition to providing a fully-equipped mobile clinic and food supplies for displaced families, with a cost of $1.088 million.

In November 2016, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees had received $8 million from Kuwait to displaced Iraqis, taking the total figure to $360 million in four years for various humanitarian causes and activities around the world, a generous contribution high appreciated by the UN body.

Another UN arm; UNICEF, also received a $6 million donation the same month, in addition to another $five million to the World Health Organization, all to aid their teams and programs in Iraq, especially in Mosul. In January 2017 KRCS announced building five schools and another three medical centers in Irbil and Dohuk for displaced Iraqis' camps in Kurdistan, who fled their homes from Mosul.

As copious amounts of Kuwaiti aid poured into the autonomous region to cope with the influx of displaced people, August 2017 came with Kuwaiti medical aid weighing 55 tons into the war-ravaged Mosul. By that time Kuwait has thus far provided 400 tons of comprehensive medical aid to the northern Iraqi region. In October 2017, Kuwait covered treatment expenses of 180 civilians in the Iraqi city of Mosul who needed artificial limbs. - KUNA