Al-Issa, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Stress Mobilizing Support for Displaced

Part of the meeting between the Secretary of the Muslim World League and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees - SPA
Part of the meeting between the Secretary of the Muslim World League and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees - SPA
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Al-Issa, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Stress Mobilizing Support for Displaced

Part of the meeting between the Secretary of the Muslim World League and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees - SPA
Part of the meeting between the Secretary of the Muslim World League and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees - SPA

Secretary of the Muslim World League (MWL) Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa discussed with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Filippo Grandi, strengthening the mechanisms of cooperation between the MWL and the UNHCR to mobilize global support for the issues of refugees and displaced people.

During their meeting, they discussed raising awareness in societies on the suffering of the displaced and what the human and moral duty requires of us to embrace them and stand with them in such difficult circumstances.

Al-Issa stressed the importance of the UNHCR's efforts in serving refugees and displaced people worldwide, especially in light of the successive global crises that exacerbate their suffering.

For his part, Grandi appreciated the support of the MWL for the UNHCR's efforts in serving the refugees and the various initiatives it presented to support their needs in the host communities.

He noted the importance of the long and close partnership that brings the two sides together, which had a broad positive impact on alleviating the suffering and protecting the displaced refugees.

The meeting also emphasized the importance of the fatwa issued by the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, of the Muslim World League, permitting the payment of zakat to refugees through UNHCR, and the great difference this innovative path of support has made in the lives of millions of refugees and displaced people around the world.

The creation of future initiatives to develop the path of the partnership between the MWL and UNHCR was also discussed to support the humanitarian response to the urgent needs of refugees around the world, which contributes to protecting them from the risks they face during the asylum journey and in host communities, in addition to activating programs for their integration into social and economic life and facilitating their access to basic services, providing job opportunities, and a decent life.



Syria's New Rulers Urge US to Lift Sanctions During Visit to Doha

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, meets Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha, Qatar, January 5, 2025. (SANA/Handout via Reuters)
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, meets Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha, Qatar, January 5, 2025. (SANA/Handout via Reuters)
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Syria's New Rulers Urge US to Lift Sanctions During Visit to Doha

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, meets Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha, Qatar, January 5, 2025. (SANA/Handout via Reuters)
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, meets Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha, Qatar, January 5, 2025. (SANA/Handout via Reuters)

Syria's new rulers said on Sunday that US sanctions on Syria were an obstacle to the war-torn country's rapid recovery and urged Washington to lift them during a visit by Syrian officials to Qatar.

"These sanctions constitute a barrier and an obstacle to the rapid recovery and development of the Syrian people who await services and partnerships from other countries," Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani told reporters after meeting with Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who also serves as foreign minister.

"We reiterate our calls for the United States to lift these sanctions, which have now become against the Syrian people rather than what they previously were: imposed sanctions on the Assad regime," he said.

Shibani, on his second foreign trip less than a month after former President Bashar al-Assad was ousted by opposition factions on Dec. 8, said that Qatar will be a partner in the new phase in Syria.

Doha had not normalized ties with Assad over his government's violent response to 2011 protests and backed the opposition instead.

Shibani, who was joined by Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra and Head of Intelligence Anas Khattab, met with other senior Qatari officials including Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, a Qatari official told Reuters earlier.

Shibani presented the Qataris a clear roadmap for the near future in Syria and steps that would be taken by the new Syrian administration, Al-Khulaifi told reporters after the meeting.

"We are working together to prevent any foreign interference in Syrian affairs," Al-Khulaifi added.

Shibani said the roadmap is meant to "rebuild our country, restore its Arab and foreign relations, enable the Syrian people to obtain their civil and basic rights, and present a government that the Syrian people feel it represents them and all their components."

He is expected to also visit the United Arab Emirates and Jordan this week to "support stability, security, economic recovery and build distinguished partnerships," according to his account on X.

Shibani embarked on his first foreign trip to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday where Saudi officials discussed how best to support Syria's political transition.