Photo: Collected
The United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia have agreed to enhance cooperation on joint humanitarian and development programs across the world to support people living in conflict-affected areas, the UK Foreign Office said on Monday (6 May).
"The UK and Saudi Arabia will boost support for people living in conflict-hit areas by significantly increasing joint projects addressing some of the biggest international development and humanitarian crises," UK Minister of State for Development and Africa Andrew Mitchell said.
The two countries have already committed $22 million to humanitarian needs in Somalia and Sudan as part of an existing partnership. On Monday, they will announce a further $5 million to tackle rising levels of malnutrition in Somalia, the Foreign Office said.
"The funding will support more than 50,000 children providing water, sanitation and hygiene services to vulnerable Somalian women and children," the statement read.
The funding will be announced during the second UK-Saudi Strategic Dialogue on Humanitarian Aid and International Development in Riyadh. The dialogue will focus on efforts to provide additional aid to the Gaza Strip, according to the statement.
London and Riyadh also intend to implement joint humanitarian projects in Sudan, Yemen, Bangladesh and Ukraine, the statement said.
Messenger/Mumu
