LOC17:53
14:53 GMT
(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)
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