The Regulatory Authority for Charitable Activities (Raca), in collaboration with the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies (CHS), will organise tomorrow (May 25) an online conference titled : The relationship between scientific research and the Qatari humanitarian sector.
Beginning at 11am Doha time, the event will have a keynote address by Ibrahim Abdulla al-Dehaimi, general manager, Raca. To follow are special interventions by Dr Arne Strand, director of U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre, Chr. Michelsen Institute, Norway; Sorcha O’Callaghan, director of Humanitarian Policy Group in the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), UK; and Dr. Antonio de Laurie, president of the Norwegian Center for Humanitarian Studies.
Among the participants from Qatar will be Youssef bin Ahmed al-Kuwari, CEO of Qatar Charity; Ibrahim al-Maliki, executive director of Qatar Red Crescent Society; Fahd al-Sulaiti, executive director of Education Above All; and Dr Hatem Mhenni of Qatar National Research Fund.
The conference sessions will be moderated by Professor Sultan Barakat, director and founder, CHS, in addition to a question-and-answer session. The conference will also bring together several prominent experts and specialists in the humanitarian sector in Qatar, who are playing key roles and making tremendous humanitarian efforts in the Middle East and North Africa region. Executive heads and directors of Qatari charities, foundations and humanitarian organisations will also participate.
The importance of the conference comes in the light of the paucity of research and studies dealing with humanitarian action and the existence of a clear gap between scientific research on the one hand and applied practice in the humanitarian sector on the other hand, a statement from Raca said yesterday.
During the past two decades, Qatari humanitarian organisations have provided billions of dollars and have been able to respond to many crises in many regions, enabling them to have a positive impact on the lives of tens of millions of beneficiaries. It has also provided them with opportunities for direct contact and close interaction with many communities, providing a fertile environment for scientific research by collecting information and providing many experiences and success stories in diverse social contexts and environments for the benefit of many groups in a number of different geographical regions.
Activating the role of scientific research in this framework will undoubtedly have a positive impact on Qatari humanitarian work, as it will provide it with a scientific methodology to identify and evaluate the trends, rationalise performance and maximise outputs. This will bring added value to all participants in the humanitarian system, contribute to the development of Qatar's public diplomacy, as well as mitigate the risk of Qatari humanitarian organisations operating in areas of violent armed conflict or areas where entities designated as terrorists by States and international organisations are active.
Al-Dheimi stated that Raca has been leading and governing humanitarian and charitable work in accordance with the highest international standards of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). There is no doubt that the adoption of humanitarian work for scientific research will enhance these efforts and contribute to maximising the outcomes in various areas.
The topics, interventions and discussions at the conference will raise many issues that can be tackled for future scientific research, especially with regard to anti-money laundering and countering financing of terrorism and provide an organisational and balanced methodology in dealing with the humanitarian sector by providing an effective environment against the risks of exploitation and preserving the independence of humanitarian work and avoiding any illicit activities.
He has also pointed out that scientific research had become the main avenue for the growth, development and advancement of societies. Qatar had taken the lead in devoting 2.8% of its national income to scientific research, bringing it closer to the ranks of the major powers in this regard. Qatari humanitarian action has achieved much from the country's leading role in this field and has become a landmark in the field of humanitarian action regionally and internationally, enabling Qatari humanitarian institutions to gain the confidence of the international community and international humanitarian organisations.
Prof Sultan Barakat, director of the Center for Conflict Studies and Humanitarian Action, stressed that the convening of this conference is of great importance for humanitarian work. He highlighted that the recommendations and outputs of the conference will be translated into a research plan with the participation of actors concerned with supporting and sponsoring scientific research and humanitarian work in Qatar.
Prof Barakat also pointed out that he was looking forward to the development of a research agenda for humanitarian action that addresses various topics and produces solid scientific results that will contribute to rationalising the performance of Qatari humanitarian work and give it the added value it deserves, especially with the diversity of environments and applied areas for Qatari humanitarian contributions.
The Raca statement pointed out that Qatar is a generous country in providing assistance and aid in the face of crises and disasters around the world. The Qatari humanitarian sector provided more than $2.5bn in emergency relief, development and reconstruction during the period from 2010 to 2019. This is in response to ongoing humanitarian appeals from international and United Nations organisations and a sense of responsibility towards the poorest groups in the Arab and Islamic world and around the globe in the light of the increasing demand for urgent assistance requirements as a result of the worsening crises of refugees and displaced persons on the one hand, and the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic on the other, which caused the death of 3mn people around the world until the beginning of this year and led to enormous economic losses.
Among the participants from Qatar will be Youssef bin Ahmed al-Kuwari, CEO of Qatar Charity; Ibrahim al-Maliki, executive director of Qatar Red Crescent Society; Fahd al-Sulaiti, executive director of Education Above All; and Dr Hatem Mhenni of Qatar National Research Fund.
The conference sessions will be moderated by Professor Sultan Barakat, director and founder, CHS, in addition to a question-and-answer session. The conference will also bring together several prominent experts and specialists in the humanitarian sector in Qatar, who are playing key roles and making tremendous humanitarian efforts in the Middle East and North Africa region. Executive heads and directors of Qatari charities, foundations and humanitarian organisations will also participate.
The importance of the conference comes in the light of the paucity of research and studies dealing with humanitarian action and the existence of a clear gap between scientific research on the one hand and applied practice in the humanitarian sector on the other hand, a statement from Raca said yesterday.
During the past two decades, Qatari humanitarian organisations have provided billions of dollars and have been able to respond to many crises in many regions, enabling them to have a positive impact on the lives of tens of millions of beneficiaries. It has also provided them with opportunities for direct contact and close interaction with many communities, providing a fertile environment for scientific research by collecting information and providing many experiences and success stories in diverse social contexts and environments for the benefit of many groups in a number of different geographical regions.
Activating the role of scientific research in this framework will undoubtedly have a positive impact on Qatari humanitarian work, as it will provide it with a scientific methodology to identify and evaluate the trends, rationalise performance and maximise outputs. This will bring added value to all participants in the humanitarian system, contribute to the development of Qatar's public diplomacy, as well as mitigate the risk of Qatari humanitarian organisations operating in areas of violent armed conflict or areas where entities designated as terrorists by States and international organisations are active.
Al-Dheimi stated that Raca has been leading and governing humanitarian and charitable work in accordance with the highest international standards of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). There is no doubt that the adoption of humanitarian work for scientific research will enhance these efforts and contribute to maximising the outcomes in various areas.
The topics, interventions and discussions at the conference will raise many issues that can be tackled for future scientific research, especially with regard to anti-money laundering and countering financing of terrorism and provide an organisational and balanced methodology in dealing with the humanitarian sector by providing an effective environment against the risks of exploitation and preserving the independence of humanitarian work and avoiding any illicit activities.
He has also pointed out that scientific research had become the main avenue for the growth, development and advancement of societies. Qatar had taken the lead in devoting 2.8% of its national income to scientific research, bringing it closer to the ranks of the major powers in this regard. Qatari humanitarian action has achieved much from the country's leading role in this field and has become a landmark in the field of humanitarian action regionally and internationally, enabling Qatari humanitarian institutions to gain the confidence of the international community and international humanitarian organisations.
Prof Sultan Barakat, director of the Center for Conflict Studies and Humanitarian Action, stressed that the convening of this conference is of great importance for humanitarian work. He highlighted that the recommendations and outputs of the conference will be translated into a research plan with the participation of actors concerned with supporting and sponsoring scientific research and humanitarian work in Qatar.
Prof Barakat also pointed out that he was looking forward to the development of a research agenda for humanitarian action that addresses various topics and produces solid scientific results that will contribute to rationalising the performance of Qatari humanitarian work and give it the added value it deserves, especially with the diversity of environments and applied areas for Qatari humanitarian contributions.
The Raca statement pointed out that Qatar is a generous country in providing assistance and aid in the face of crises and disasters around the world. The Qatari humanitarian sector provided more than $2.5bn in emergency relief, development and reconstruction during the period from 2010 to 2019. This is in response to ongoing humanitarian appeals from international and United Nations organisations and a sense of responsibility towards the poorest groups in the Arab and Islamic world and around the globe in the light of the increasing demand for urgent assistance requirements as a result of the worsening crises of refugees and displaced persons on the one hand, and the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic on the other, which caused the death of 3mn people around the world until the beginning of this year and led to enormous economic losses.
