The International Coalition to combat the ISIS terrorist group will hold a ministerial meeting in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Thursday.
The meeting will bring together 85 countries and partner organizations of the coalition.
Attended by foreign ministers, senior officials and stakeholders, the gathering is significant in the ongoing efforts to counter the threat posed by ISIS.
Last December, Saudi Arabia announced its hosting of the 2023 ministerial meeting for the Coalition.
The announcement was made during its participation in the Political Directors Meeting of the Coalition held in the Hague.
The decision to host the meeting was seen as a testament to Saudi Arabia’s active role as a strategic partner in the Coalition and its commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms.
It also highlighted the Kingdom’s efforts in supporting international cooperation to combat malign entities.
According to a Saudi source speaking to dpa, it is expected that some member countries at the meeting will provide financial assistance to other countries to confront terrorist threats.
Statistics released by the Coalition highlighted Saudi Arabia as one of the key founding members of the alliance.
The Kingdom comes second in terms of the number of airstrikes conducted, with the Royal Saudi Air Force executing a total of 341 sorties to support the Coalition’s air operations in Syria.
In August 2018, Saudi Arabia made a significant contribution of $100 million to the alliance, aiming to support projects that promote stability in areas liberated from ISIS in northeastern Syria.
To date, the contribution stands as the largest within the liberated areas. Officials within the Coalition have highlighted Riyadh’s vital role in efforts to revive local communities in Syria’s city of Raqqa.
The Saudi effort has primarily focused on projects aimed at restoring livelihoods and essential services in areas such as healthcare, agriculture, electricity, water, education, transportation, and rubble removal.
Riyadh has pledged to provide $500 million to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) dedicated to Syrian and Iraqi refugees, as well as individuals of other nationalities affected by ISIS’ terrorist attacks.
ISIS swept through Iraq and Syria in 2014, seizing large swaths of territory. After the Coalition’s intervention, the group was defeated in Iraq in 2017 and Syria in 2019.
Despite this, the organization remains a threat, with cells still operating in Iraq and Syria.
