Qatar affirms its steadfast support for Sudan

HE the Minister of State for International Co-operation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lolwah bint Rashid AlKhater has affirmed Qatar's steadfast support for Sudan and its brotherly people and for the unity, security, and territorial integrity of the country.During her visit to Sudan on Saturday, HE AlKhater said that the territorial integrity of Sudan is part of the unity and security of the Arab region as a whole and that Sudan's stability represents stability for the Arab region and Africa as well.She called on the international community to shoulder its responsibilities regarding the humanitarian tragedy in Sudan, expressing disappointment at the retraction of the Sudanese file on the international agenda.HE AlKhater said that her message is to remind the world and to ask other officials from different countries and organisations to visit Sudan to learn about developments and show support for the Sudanese people.She added that donors need to fulfil their pledges to Sudan of $1.5bn which were announced during the conference held in Geneva in May 2023, stressing the importance and necessity of fulfilling the pledges as few countries have done so.Qatar's announcement and pledge of $50mn during the said conference that it co-chaired with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Germany was based on the State's personal responsibility and moral and humanitarian duty towards Sudan and its brotherly people, she said.The air bridge initiated by Qatar on Saturday to assist and relieve the Sudanese people is a continuation and completion of the air bridge that the State launched under the generous directives of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani since the beginning of the crisis in Sudan in the middle of last April, HE AlKhater noted.She explained that this bridge, which includes food, shelter supplies, and ambulances, will continue during the holy month of Ramadan.Meanwhile, HE AlKhater held an expanded meeting in Port Sudan with officials of the UN agencies and international organisations operating there.Governor of the Red Sea State Mustafa Mohamed Nour, Federal Minister of Health Dr Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim and Qatar's ambassador to Sudan Mohamed bin Ibrahim al-Sada attended the meeting.The meeting discussed the current difficult situation in Sudan, especially the challenges facing the humanitarian work in general, the significance of the urgent response to address them, in addition to intensifying the efforts aimed at delivering aid to the Sudanese people, especially the displaced people in various Sudanese states.HE AlKhater oversaw the project of distributing 50,000 food baskets to Sudanese families in Port Sudan on Saturday night.The project is a joint initiative between the Qatar Fund for Development which provided the funds for the project and Qatar Charity which executed it.She said that 20,000 food baskets have been distributed so far, adding that she looks forward to seeing more initiatives of the kind, for the benefit of Sudanese families.