Saudi Arabia: We have provided $17bn to refugees over 20 years

Saudi Arabia has stated that it has provided over $17 billion to refugees around the world over the past two decades and has hosted over a million Syrian, Yemeni and Rohingya refugees.

Speaking at the First Global Refugee Forum held in the Swiss city Geneva yesterday – attended by heads of states and UN officials – Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSRelief) Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah revealed that out of the $17 billion donated, $925 million was sent to UN and international organisations and $287.9 million was provided to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

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Al-Rabeeah added that the kingdom also set up programs to support refugees and those who are displaced, as well as implementing various urgent projects in areas affected by a lack of food and nutrition, education, healthcare, shelter, water resources and environmental sanitation – some in partnership with the UNHCR and affiliates, and some directly by itself.

An example he presented was Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE’s sponsorship of the Rohingya Pledging Conference held on 24 September this year at the UN headquarters in New York. As a result of that conference, countries committed and pledged to provide over $283 million to the Rohingya people driven out of Myanmar by their government and military in a campaign of ethnic cleansing.

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Al-Rabeeah also stated that Saudi Arabia has been hosting significant numbers of refugees from Yemen, Syria and the Rohingya, saying they amount to 1,094,000 people. They were all allegedly provided with job opportunities and services including healthcare and education for free.

He reassured the forum that Saudi Arabia is committed to continuing its humanitarian work through KSRelief, and that the kingdom does not neglect such international charitable causes.