The Executive Director of Unicef, Catherine Russell, has emphasised that Qatar is a strong and very important partner for Unicef, noting that this co-operation includes several areas, especially education.
In remarks to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Russell said that Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Education Above All (EAA) Foundation, has played a prominent leadership role on the international stage in promoting the importance of education, especially for children living in conflict zones or who have been deprived of education due to crises, adding that she expressed her gratitude for this role during her meeting with Her Highness.
She also commended the efforts of the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and the EAA Foundation in supporting the educational process for children, stressing that these efforts contributed to keeping many children in school despite the challenges.
Russell explained that there is a strategic partnership between Unicef, Qatar's government, and relevant institutions, as intensive meetings were held to discuss ways to enhance co-operation and benefit from Qatari resources and expertise in this field. She added that this partnership requires significant resources in addition to intellectual leadership, which enhances the organisation's ability to achieve a broader impact worldwide.
She pointed out that Unicef co-operates closely with Qatar in education, stressing that education represents a basic right for all children, and has a direct impact on achieving other sustainable development goals.
She explained that education, as the fourth goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), contributes to improving public health and enhancing economic participation.
She added that the challenges facing education are multiple, including poverty and debts that hinder some countries' spending on education, in addition to the ongoing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has kept children out of school for long periods.
She noted that estimates indicate that more than 250mn children worldwide are deprived of education, emphasising that returning them to schools and ensuring quality education for them represents a major challenge.
Russell praised Qatar's role in providing educational support and humanitarian aid in areas such as Yemen and Syria, urging other countries to benefit from Qatar's approach in this field.
She affirmed that the relationship between Qatar and Unicef is strong and developed.
Russell expressed her optimism about the possibility of enhancing co-operation with Qatar in the field of digital and innovative solutions to support education, stressing that technology plays a pivotal role in reaching children, especially in remote areas.
Regarding the situation in Gaza, she stressed that Unicef has been working in the Strip for decades and that the organisation continues to provide assistance to children despite the difficult circumstances.
