Advisor at the Royal Court and Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah launched on Sunday 24 humanitarian and relief projects in the food, health, education, water and environmental sanitation sectors in Somalia.
The projects, worth $45 million, are expected to benefit 5,798,077 people.
Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, Assistant Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Affairs for Humanitarian, Cultural, Family and Social Affairs Ambassador Tariq Ali Bakheet, several ministers, Saudi Ambassador to Somalia Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Mawlid and Al Rabeeah's accompanying delegation attended the launching ceremony.
Al Rabeeah expressed joy at being present in Somalia to celebrate the inauguration and signing of a package of humanitarian projects addressing the needs of the Somali people.
The event signifies the strengthened relations between Saudi Arabia and Somalia, fostered through mutual respect between their leaderships and successive visits by officials to promote and develop cooperation, he added.
He highlighted Saudi Arabia's humanitarian assistance to those in need around the world. It has so far offered $127.78 billion in support to 169 countries in all neutrality. Of these projects, KSrelief implemented 2,783 worth some $6.6 billion in 95 countries with the participation of 175 UN, international and regional partners with impartiality and thoughtful methodology.
He noted that the total amount of assistance provided to Somalia until the end of 2023 reached $423 million, of which the center contributed around $227 million to implement 106 projects.
He vowed that the KSrelief will remain committed to continuing its humanitarian support to the brotherly Somali people.