Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) announced on Wednesday that it funded projects worth more than USD 530 million during 2020 through humanitarian and development aid, which were distributed over several essential sectors, namely education, health, economic empowerment, infrastructure, and climate change.
This came in the Fund's annual report for 2020, in which it reviewed the continuation of its efforts in support of development and relief issues in developing countries.
The report said that Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) has continued its efforts to support issues of development and relief in brotherly and friendly developing countries and to extend a helping hand to them, in implementation of the aspirations of the State of Qatar, represented in its leadership, institutions and society, to provide relief to people in need across the world. Over the past years, countries as well as relief and development organizations have intensified their efforts to help people of developing and distressed countries. The role of the State of Qatar has a distinguished place among these efforts exerted around the world.
QFFD is the State of Qatar's representative in supporting these countries by providing all financial facilities and programs for the purpose of achieving overall global development, the report explained.
In statements that were included in the report, HE the Director General of QFFD Khalifa bin Jassim Al-Kuwari stated, "QFFD, on behalf of the State of Qatar, was able to finance projects of more than USD 530 million during 2020, including humanitarian and development aid. These projects were distributed over several essential sectors, namely education, health, economic empowerment, infrastructure, and climate change. Focusing on these sectors, QFFD has sought to enhance its role in human development and the achievement of sustainable development goals, leading to its vision of giving hope, promoting peace and justice through sustainable and inclusive development."
He added that QFFD has provided more than 120 million US Dollars for education and more than 100 million US Dollars for health.
It should be noted that the main international development initiatives, humanitarian aid and achievements made by QFFD in 2020 focused on international aid efforts that aimed to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the State of Qatar has acted, following directives of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to provide support to countries in need of assistance and to strengthen their capacity to confront this epidemic.
The report pointed out that on behalf of the State of Qatar, QFFD has provided more than 247 tons to 28 countries around the world. 6 field hospitals have been built, as well. Additionally, the State of Qatar has offered 10 million US Dollars to the World Health Organization and committed to provide another 10 million US Dollars in partnership with the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) to low- and middle-income countries around the world.
In 2020, QFFD funded a project for one of its strategic partners, Education Above All Foundation (EAA), which aims to build a healthy and educated society, as well as GAVI in Nigeria. The project aimed to provide vaccinations to families of children without education, such as pregnant mothers and siblings under the age of two. It also focused on other related activities, for example, spreading health and awareness messages at schools targeted in the project as well as in the civil society.
As for humanitarian aid, QFFD has provided urgent humanitarian aid to Sudan, Lebanon, the Philippines and Syria.
Moreover, QFFD has provided aid in the form of various more innovative products, including the Lives & Livelihoods Fund, in cooperation with the Bill Gates Foundation, the Islamic Development Bank and other partners, and participated in financing other funds such as the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents (GFF).
The report illustrated that many forms of cooperation with the United Nations have taken place, in addition to adopting the implementation and support of sustainable development goals, adding that QFFD continues to work with the United Nations and international donors to achieve desired goals. This includes providing flexible support to many UN organizations, and working with organizations such as the UN Development Program (UNDP), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN International Childrens Emergency Fund (UNICEF), and UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
It should be mentioned that QFFD is one of the main supporters of the United Nations, as it focuses its aid provision on Arab and Middle Eastern countries, especially on the Palestinian Cause as well as the Syrian and Yemeni crises. Since 2016, the State of Qatar has annually maintained 100 million US Dollars for the benefit of the Syrian people.
As for climate change issues, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani has committed to provide 100 million US Dollars to support small island developing countries as well as the least developed countries in combating the impacts of climate change and pursuing sustainable development, the repot said. It added that in this context, QFFD has signed a cooperation agreement with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) to support these countries in creating green job opportunities, developing green industries inside them, and supporting the agricultural sector to maintain food security there.
In relation to global health sector, QFFD has had many accomplishments, starting with the commissioning of His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Hospital for Rehabilitation and Prostheses in Gaza, in cooperation with the Ministry of Public Health in the State of Qatar. Qatari doctors also have performed cochlear implants. Similarly, "Qatar Creating Vision" initiative has been launched in India and Bangladesh to target eyes patients there. Additionally, the "Quest Health" was launched last year as one of the most significant initiatives, where a number of health programs were introduced to support Syrian refugees and displaced people inside Syria and host countries.
Continued support provided through the Quest Health initiative for the projects related to displaced Syrians and refugees inside and outside Syria had a clear effect on maintaining continuity of high-quality education in these projects and the learning process for learners. For example, QFFD contributes to providing university scholarships for Syrian refugees in Turkey. This is implemented through the Al Fakhoora program of the Education Above All Foundation in five countries.
Through QFFDs strategic partnership in education with the EAA, the "Educate a Child" program, developed by the EAA, implements educational projects in several countries, such as Cambodia, Sudan, and Lebanon. Additionally, in this regard, QFFD has signed MoUs with the Ministries of Education in those countries and has participated in the funding of the Malis educational project.
As for the economic empowerment sector, aid has amounted to 29,125,618 US dollars. Among the main projects in this area are the start of the asphalt paving work for Mogadishu road, the winterization program for Syrian refugees with the UNHCR and Job creation for Syrian refugees with SPARK organization.
Over the past years, the role of the State of Qatar has been clear and fundamental as one of the countries, as well as relief and development organizations, that have increased their efforts to help peoples who are suffering from destructive effects of wars and natural disasters.
QFFD still, to this date, continues its journey of giving, in order to achieve its vision: "Give hope and promote peace and justice through sustainable and inclusive development" and to combat world difficulties by assisting the least developed countries.
