Start Network membership for Qatar Charity

The UK-based Start Network yesterday received in London a visitingdelegation from Qatar Charity (QC) to present its membershipcertificate. Start Network includes 42 national and international aid agencies andhumanitarian organisations from five continents and provides quick andeffective humanitarian assistance to those affected in the areas ofhumanitarian crisis.Start Network’s vice-chairman Matthew Carter, CEO Sean Lowrie and anumber of its managers and officers met with the QC delegation headed byCEO Yousuf bin Ahmed al-Kuwari. In his welcome speech, Start NetworkCEO Sean Lowrie said, “We welcome Qatar Charity and the freshperspective and expertise it will bring to the Start Network, as we leadfor change in humanitarian aid. Our newest member and its commitment tohumanitarian values are central to the Start Network’s ethos and thedriving force behind our work to improve the international aid system.”Al-Kuwari expressed his gratitude on the QC’s admission to the networkand said this reflected the keenness of the Start Network to open up,co-operate and co-ordinate with humanitarian organisations outside theEuropean Community and, in particular, with the humanitarianorganisations in the South.He stressed that QC is keen to be an active and effective member of thealliance in co-operation with the rest of its members in order todevelop and improve humanitarian work and enhance co-ordination andco-operation, especially in the crisis areas. The CEO said QC has theexperience of more than a quarter of a century in the field ofhumanitarian work. It operates in more than 60 countries through its 27field offices as well as in partnerships with the United Nationsagencies, pointing out that QC made 42 co-operation agreements with theUN agencies.“Qatar Charity also actively works with many international humanitarianorganisations and institutions, which resulted in the signing of morethan 93 partnership and co-operation agreements so far,” addedal-Kuwari. QC joined the Start Network in February 2016 as an observer,and in November 2017, it was granted full membership by the StartNetwork Board of Directors on the basis that all membership conditionsare met. The membership is a recognition for the vital role played by QC, as wellas for its capabilities and experiences that it has at the regional andinternational levels.