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Gulf

Saudi Arabia Supports UNRWA with $25 Million

People waiting to receive their share of UNRWA aid in Gaza on Wednesday, October 7, 2020. (Reuters)
People waiting to receive their share of UNRWA aid in Gaza on Wednesday, October 7, 2020. (Reuters)
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Saudi Arabia Supports UNRWA with $25 Million

People waiting to receive their share of UNRWA aid in Gaza on Wednesday, October 7, 2020. (Reuters)
People waiting to receive their share of UNRWA aid in Gaza on Wednesday, October 7, 2020. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia has contributed $25 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) through its embassy in Jordan.

The contribution is part of a larger pledge by the Kingdom to help the Agency maintain critical services to 5.6 million Palestine refugees in the region, UNRWA announced.

“Saudi Arabia has been a steadfast supporter of the Palestine refugees for year and has been amongst the Agency’s top donors for years,” it said in a statement.

The United States was UNRWA’s top donor and funded about 30 percent of its operations in the region, but it announced the suspension of its funding in 2018.

“On my first visit to the Gulf and first official visit outside UNRWA areas of operations as Commissioner-General of UNRWA, I am in Riyadh to express my gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense, for their timeliness and generosity of their support to Palestinian refugees,” said Philippe Lazzarini.

At a time of regional political turmoil, pandemic and economic and financial crises, Palestine refugees will know that their rights and wellbeing are not being questioned and that Saudi Arabia supports them, he stressed.

On the sidelines of his visit to Riyadh, Lazzarini met with senior Saudi officials, including Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubair, Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center Dr. Abdullah al-Rabiah and Vice Chairman and Managing Director of the Saudi Fund for Development Dr. Khalid al-Khudairy.

He discussed that providing access to basic services such as health and education would provide a sense of normality to Palestine refugees despite the turmoil around them.

In 2018, the Kingdom contributed $50 million to UNRWA to help fill the shortage created by the US decision.

Over the years, its strong support has also transpired through increased funding to food aid, infrastructure and health-related projects by KSRelief and the Saudi Fund for Development totaling more than $800 million.

Saudi Arabia reconstructed and repaired about 250 affected houses for Palestinian refugees in Gaza Strip, the statement noted.

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Gulf

Egypt and Kuwait Align on Gaza Reconstruction, Reject Displacement

Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the Bayan Palace in Kuwait. (KUNA)
Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the Bayan Palace in Kuwait. (KUNA)
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Egypt and Kuwait Align on Gaza Reconstruction, Reject Displacement

Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the Bayan Palace in Kuwait. (KUNA)
Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the Bayan Palace in Kuwait. (KUNA)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi concluded a three-day Gulf tour on Tuesday with a visit to Kuwait, following a stop in Qatar.

He held high-level talks with Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, in discussions described by analysts as both politically and economically significant given the volatile regional climate.

At the heart of the Egyptian-Kuwaiti summit were developments in the Gaza Strip, with both nations reaffirming the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire, the continuation of hostage and detainee exchanges, and the rapid entry of sufficient humanitarian aid, said a statement from the Egyptian presidency.

Both Cairo and Kuwait City expressed full support for the Arab plan to rebuild Gaza, stressing the importance of implementing the plan without delay once a ceasefire is reached.

The two leaders also reiterated their firm opposition to any forced displacement of Palestinians and underscored the need for a just and comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian issue — one that ensures the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Sisi's visit underscored what Egyptian MP Mostafa Bakry described as “a unified and coordinated stance between Egypt and Kuwait, as well as with other Gulf and Arab nations, during a critical period for the region.”

He noted that the outcome of the talks demonstrated “a shared commitment to ending the war in Gaza and moving quickly to implement the Arab reconstruction plan — a key objective that signals to the world the Arab world’s unified rejection of displacement and any efforts to erase the Palestinian cause.”

Beyond Gaza, Sisi and Sheikh Meshal also discussed broader regional developments, including the ongoing crises in Syria and Sudan. The leaders expressed support for the sovereignty and stability of the two nations, along with continued backing for Yemen’s legitimate government.

They also emphasized the strategic importance of safeguarding maritime security in the Red Sea and regional waterways.

In remarks carried by the Egyptian presidency, the Kuwaiti Emir hailed Sisi’s visit as a testament to the “deep and historic ties” between their countries, calling it an opportunity to strengthen cooperation across multiple sectors — particularly economic and investment-related areas.

Sisi, for his part, affirmed Egypt’s commitment to expanding its partnership with Kuwait, especially in economic cooperation. He underlined the importance of increasing bilateral trade and investment to serve the mutual interests of both peoples.