Source Credit: Arab News
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – February 24, 2025, The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) is set to host the 4th Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of KSrelief’s establishment. Leaders, donors, humanitarian workers, and experts from around the world will converge in Riyadh on Monday to address pressing challenges facing humanitarian aid agencies, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The two-day event will feature in-depth discussions on the role of humanitarian diplomacy in conflict and disaster zones, ensuring access to aid and supply chains, and managing displacement amid escalating conflicts and natural disasters. During a roundtable with media on Sunday, KSrelief Supervisor General Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah highlighted these topics as central to the forum’s agenda.
Recent data from the UN Refugee Agency indicated that, by the end of June 2024, over 122.6 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced due to persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, or events disrupting public order, with regions including Gaza, Sudan, Syria, Myanmar, Yemen, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Congo, and Colombia severely impacted.
In addition to the discussions, KSrelief will sign several agreements with UN and international organizations, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s commitment to global humanitarian efforts. The forum will also host a hackathon titled “Artificial Intelligence in Humanitarian Relief,” organized in collaboration with Alfaisal University. This initiative aims to leverage AI-driven solutions to address critical humanitarian challenges in healthcare, aligning with the broader goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
Since 2015, KSrelief has implemented 2,670 projects valued at over $6.5 billion across 95 countries, partnering with 175 local, regional, and international organizations. Major support has been provided to Yemen ($4.3 billion), Syria ($391 million), Palestine ($370 million), and Somalia ($227 million). KSrelief’s comprehensive programs encompass food security, health, sanitation, shelter, nutrition, education, telecommunications, and logistics.
