DOHA: The conference on humanitarian crisis in Yemen beginning here tomorrow seeks to launch an international initiative to develop a joint plan for humanitarian response to the conflict-torn country, a senior Qatar Charity (QC) official said yesterday.
The initiative will combine urgent needs and the stage of early recovery, said Mohammed Ali Al Ghamedi, Executive Director, International Development, and Conference Coordinator.
He said the forum is the first international and regional event of its kind on the humanitarian situation in Yemen. More than 90 regional, international and humanitarian organisations are expected to attend.
The three-day conference at Doha Marriott Hotel under the theme ‘The Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen; Challenges and Horizons of the Humanitarian Response” is organised by QC along with 13 humanitarian, regional and international organisations.
Participants include High Committee for Relief in Yemen; Organisation of Islamic Cooperation; Arab League; Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) of the United Nations; King Salman Centre for Relief and Humanitarian Aid, Saudi Arabia; International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Switzerland; International Humanitarian City, UAE; International Medical Corps, US; International Islamic Charitable Organisation, Kuwait; Turkish IHH (The Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief); Start Network, Britain; and International Council of Voluntary Agencies.
More than 150 experts and specialists in humanitarian sectors such as education, health, water, economic empowerment, shelter, food and nutrition and protection will also participate.
Delegates include Abdul Raqeeb Saif Fateh, Minister of Local Administration and chairman, Higher Committee for Relief in Yemen Republic); Rashid Khlikov, Assistant Secretary-General of the UN in the Near and Middle East Affairs; Dr Abdullah bin Matouq Al Matouq, Envoy of the UN secretary-general for humanitarian Affairs; and Sheikha Hessa bint Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, Envoy of the Arab League secretary-general for humanitarian Affairs.
Workshops will highlight the humanitarian situation in Yemen. The forum will also identify the needs and priorities in respect of food, education, health, protection, shelter and non-food items, water and sanitation, livelihoods and economic empowerment.
Other sessions will study the outputs of the workshops and coordinate between partners on workshops. The results, initiatives, partnerships and alliances will be announced on the concluding day of the forum.
Events will also be designated for coordinating between field actors, and adopting a joint action map for humanitarian efforts in Yemen. A final statement will be issued at the end of the conference.
QC has conducted a comprehensive survey in collaboration with a team to assess the damage caused by the Yemeni crisis.
The study will be available at the conference.
The survey will allow QC, partners and all humanitarian actors to know the damage and priorities to be addressed to meet the needs of the affected people in each sector discussed at technical workshops, said Al Ghamedi.The Peninsula
