Saudi Gazette report

NEW YORK — Saudi Arabia underscored the importance of sustained international support for humanitarian action during a high-level meeting of the OCHA Donor Support Group (ODSG) held at Germany’s permanent mission to the United Nations in New York.

The Kingdom was represented by Dr. Aqeel Al-Ghamdi, assistant supervisor general for planning and development at the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief).

The meeting was attended by UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher, along with representatives of donor countries and international organizations.

Dr. Al-Ghamdi emphasized the need to continue supporting international humanitarian plans, financing emergency and development projects in conflict and disaster-affected areas, and advancing humanitarian initiatives that promote regional and global security and stability.

He also highlighted the importance of strengthening partnerships with OCHA and UN agencies, and enabling donors to develop innovative mechanisms that ensure more efficient delivery of aid to beneficiaries.

He said Saudi Arabia’s participation reflects its leading role as one of the world’s major humanitarian donors and its ongoing commitment to supporting humanitarian response efforts worldwide through KSrelief and its specialized programs.

He reaffirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to enhancing international partnerships, developing humanitarian financing models, and supporting field coordination efforts, in line with UN charters and core humanitarian principles.

Participants reviewed technical reports and strategic priorities for the next phase, including preparations for the 2026 Global Humanitarian Overview, an assessment of outcomes from expert-level donor meetings, and discussions on rising humanitarian needs in crisis regions.

The meeting also examined current funding models and ways to improve them to ensure sustainability and maximize impact.

The gathering stressed the importance of unified international positions on urgent humanitarian issues and highlighted the pivotal role of donors in advancing global humanitarian reform.

Discussions also focused on strengthening the role of the donor group in shaping the humanitarian agenda, developing shared funding mechanisms, and enhancing the Central Emergency Response Fund to ensure rapid response and improve aid effectiveness.