World: Kuwait humanitarian efforts of strong int'l impact

KUWAIT, Aug 18 (KUNA) -- Kuwait's prominent contributions to the humanitarian field had an international impact and recognition, as the UN celebrates the World Humanitarian Day on Wednesday August 19.
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 USD 300 million in the first conference in 2013, USD 500 million in 2014 and USD 500 million in 2015.
Kuwaiti charity organizations including the Red Crescent and the International Islamic Charitable Organization (IICO) had been continuously delivering aid to Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon.
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 USD 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 USD 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 USD 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 USD ten mln for Bangladesh which was struck by a tornado in November 2007. Meanwhile, it had also aided Japan with five million oil barrel (worth about USD 500 million) upon the destructive tsunami earthquake that struck the country in March 2011.
In July 2012, Kuwait had delivered humanitarian aid worth USD ten million to Somalia to aid people suffering from famine and drought.
In 2012, the country had donated USD 250,000 for victims of Turkey's earthquake. Moreover, it had provided USD ten million to the Philippines, suffering the aftermath of a devastating tornado in 2014, while also contributing USD five million to the World Health Organization (WHO) to fight the Ebola virus in the same year.
The UN celebrates the World Humanitarian Day on August 19 of each year, which is the anniversary of the 2003 Canal Hotel Bombing in Baghdad, Iraq, which killed 22 UN workers, including the UN's Special Representative in Iraq Sergio Vieira de Mello, and injured over 100. The blast targeted the UN's Assistance Mission in Iraq created just five days earlier. (end) aas.aas.ag