KUWAIT, Oct 26 (KUNA) -- UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Filippo Grandi Sunday called on the international community to step up efforts and support for 123 million forcibly displaced persons amid increasing humanitarian challenges and acute financial crises.
Speaking to reporters following his official visit to Kuwait, Grandi said he had met with His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Al-Yahya.
He commended Kuwait's commitment to supporting and standing by forcibly displaced persons through official and unofficial humanitarian efforts.
He added that he had also met with Acting Director-General of Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) Waleed Al-Bahar, having signed two USD0-5.7-million grant agreements to back Sudanese displaced persons and refugees and their host communities in Sudan and Chad.
The first deal valued at USD 2.5 million aims at promoting access to education, clean water and health care to more than 300,000 people affected by the ongoing conflict in Sudan, he said.
The second deal worth USD 3.2 million is meant to bolster resilience and improve the living conditions of around 50,000 Sudanese refugees in east Chad, he added.
Grandi underlined that both agreements reflect the firm partnership between the UNHCR and KFAED in response to the region's humanitarian crises, speaking highly of the partnership and cooperation with the fund, contributing to improving the living conditions of thousands of Sudanese refugees and refugee families by means of providing shelter, clean water and access to education and basic health services. (end) zhr.mt