Qatar Permanent UN Geneva Office Representative to QNA: Qatari-Saudi-Egyptian Coordination to Support Pledging Conference for Sudan Humanitarian Response

 

 

Geneva, June 19 (QNA) - HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva Dr. Hend Al Muftah affirmed that all preparations for a high-level pledging conference to support the humanitarian response in Sudan, scheduled for today, are going well.

In an interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), Her Excellency said that two coordination meetings were held to discuss the level of participation, the format of the event and other relevant issues in the conference, which is co-chaired by the United Nations represented by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the governments of the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Arab Republic of Egypt and Germany and the European Union (EU).

HE Dr. Hend Al Muftah said that it was agreed that the conference would be held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, and that participation in it would be at the ministerial level, pointing out that all high-level figures will participate via video conference, in addition to the African Union joining the group of sponsors of the conference.

The Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva added that a number of non-governmental organizations will participate in the conference, noting that the voices of those affected by the conflict in Sudan will be heard.

HE underlined that the agenda of the conference is divided into three sessions, including the opening session, which includes brief statements by the countries co-chaired the conference, followed by statements and announcements of financial pledges to support the humanitarian response in Sudan and the region by the governments of these countries.

HE Dr. Hend Al Muftah said that the conference will be concluded with an outcome document by the United Nations, adding that the proceedings of the conference will be broadcast live on UN Web TV.

Regarding the nature of the Qatari presence in this event, whether at the official level or at the level of Qatari humanitarian institutions, the Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the UN Office in Geneva said that HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani will participate in the conference via video conference, and will deliver a statement at the opening session.

HE Dr. Hend Al Muftah revealed that during the conference, a financial pledge from the State of Qatar to support the humanitarian response plan in Sudan and the region will be announced.

She noted that the State of Qatar, at the governmental and non-governmental levels, has spared no effort since the beginning of the fighting to support the brotherly Sudanese people and their steadfastness in the face of the difficult circumstances they are currently living through, by establishing an airlift dedicated to supporting those affected and in need.

The Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the UN Office in Geneva said that the airlift included humanitarian, developmental, food and medical aid provided by the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), Qatar Charity (QC) and Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS), in addition to the evacuation of 1,784 people holding Qatari residency aboard a Qatari airplane that took off from Port Sudan airport to the State of Qatar.

Regarding the Arab coordination (Qatar-Saudi Arabia-Egypt) in hosting and co-chairing this event, HE said that this coordination is continuing in full swing between the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arab Republic of Egypt, to ensure the success of the conference.

She added that this coordination comes in line with the call by the League of Arab States and the Gulf Cooperation Council to provide various assistance to meet the needs of the Sudanese people, and to prevent the deterioration of humanitarian conditions, especially since there is an urgent need for additional resources to expand the scope of response in the current humanitarian environment, in anticipation of the rainy season at the end of June.

HE stressed that there is no disagreement that the humanitarian work of the State of Qatar possesses a remarkable and effective presence within the global humanitarian work, and derives its strength from the religious values of the Qatari society and its humanitarian culture, in accordance with the foundations and rules of international action.

HE explained that the State of Qatar does not consider this work a political obligation, but rather a moral duty and obligation, and it is also one of the paths that the State pursues to stand by countries in need around the world. HE added that for this purpose, Qatari humanitarian institutions have concluded partnerships with various relevant United Nations organizations.

With regard to the Sudanese crisis, HE the Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva said that that the State of Qatar has communicated from the beginning with the relevant international humanitarian organizations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Committee of the Red Cross in order to coordinate and identify the humanitarian needs and priorities that have been identified in Sudan and secure humanitarian corridors.

HE Dr. Hend Al Muftah noted that given the scale of the horrific humanitarian catastrophe left by the fighting in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, and other parts of the country, the international response to support the Sudanese people in this delicate circumstance is a humanitarian and moral duty and a shared responsibility of the international community.

HE added that the humanitarian crisis facing the brotherly Sudanese people now should be addressed through two main axes: the first is the need to identify the urgent needs of those affected by the fighting, and work to respond to them by providing various humanitarian aid, and the second is that the humanitarian response should coincide with enhancing opportunities for dialogue between the parties to reach a permanent ceasefire agreement.

The Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva affirmed that these two axes are inseparable from each other, and international cooperation must be invested to have a positive impact on the ground and on the negotiating table at the same time, with the need to preserve the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Sudan.

HE indicated that the State of Qatar and the rest of the Arab countries sponsoring the conference hope that the pledging conference will contribute to mobilizing the necessary financial resources for the humanitarian response in Sudan and for refugees in the region, including through the Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF), the  Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) and the Regional Refugee Response Plans (RRP), in addition to raising awareness of some of the key challenges facing the humanitarian response, particularly reaching and protecting the most vulnerable groups, and promoting respect for international humanitarian law by all parties.

On April 15, fighting broke out between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), resulting in the deaths of hundreds of civilians and the displacement of thousands of people leaving due to violence. (QNA)