BRUSSELS: Saudi Arabia's leadership in global humanitarian efforts received international recognition during the European Humanitarian Forum 2025, where Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), spoke about the Kingdom’s role in addressing critical crises, especially in the Middle East.
During a seminar titled “Crises in the Middle East: The Challenge of Protecting Lives and Respecting International Humanitarian Law,” Dr. Al-Rabeeah praised the international community’s acknowledgment of Saudi Arabia’s efforts, including its contribution to lifting sanctions on Syria. This step, he noted, helped improve humanitarian access and led to a positive response from the United States.
He expressed appreciation for the European Commission’s engagement with global crises and drew attention to the scale of suffering in the Middle East, a region where conflicts have displaced over 28 million people and left more than 65 million in need of aid, according to data from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Alarmingly, less than 30% of humanitarian response plans are currently funded.
Dr. Al-Rabeeah emphasized that ongoing conflicts in Yemen, Syria, Sudan, Lebanon, and Palestine have created some of the most severe humanitarian emergencies, robbing children of their futures and causing thousands of premature deaths.
He stressed the urgent need for global action to support food security, clean water and sanitation, healthcare, shelter, and education in the region.
He also spoke about operational challenges facing humanitarian workers, including threats to safety, misinformation in needs assessments, and the destruction or theft of relief supplies.
Reaffirming the Kingdom’s stance, Dr. Al-Rabeeah said that Saudi Arabia remains committed to humanitarian values and will continue to offer assistance without discrimination.
He underscored the Kingdom’s dedication to playing a leading role in supporting humanitarian work on a global scale.
