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Kuwait donates USD 2 mln to UNICEF for Syrian children1

(With photos) GENEVA, Feb 20 (KUNA) -- The Envoy of the UN Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, Chairman of the International Islamic Charitable Organization (IICO) Dr. Abdullah Al-Maatouq urged here Wednesday donor countries on the need to speed up transfer funds pledged at the international conference for Syria, which was held in Kuwait last January.
"The Syrians are going through hell, and their tragedy requires all of us to redouble efforts in order to support them in their ordeal," Al-Maatouq, also Amiri Diwan Advisor in the State of Kuwait, told KUNA after the seventh meeting of the Syria Humanitarian Forum, which concluded Tuesday evening.
"The member states praised the donor conference, held in Kuwait, and the role of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in the success of this initiative," he added.
Meanwhile, Permanent Mission of the State of Kuwait to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, Ambassador Dhirar Al-Razouqi said here Wednesday that Kuwait's contribution with USD 2 million to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNISEF) comes in support of its vast humanitarian activities.
"The meeting with the UNICEF's Deputy Executive Director, Yoka Brandt, during the delivery of the grant, addressed the role of UNICEF in dealing with the crisis of the Syrian children," he told KUNA.
The organization has a long history in dealing with such cases, especially the rehabilitation of children of humanitarian disasters as it supports the Syrian children refugees in the neighboring countries, he noted.
The discussion with Brandt also addressed making sure that the aid reaches the displaced Syrian children inside and outside of Syria, the UN Envoy added.
The Ambassador noted that this aid was planned prior to what was announced at the donors' conference hosted in Kuwait in January.
For her part, Brandt hailed Kuwait's donation, stating that "whoever follows up with the Syrian children's crisis, discovers that more than two million children are victims of violence inside and outside of Syria." She explained that the Syrian children are facing several problems, such as lack of health care and education and water shortage, therefore, "every step taken to help them is necessary". (end) ta.ba KUNA 201753 Feb 13NNNN