KSrelief Participates in the 21st Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference

The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), represented by Dr. Hana Omar, Advisor to the General Supervisor and Director of Partnerships and International Relations, participated in the 21st Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference (DIHAD 2025), held from April 29 to May 1, 2025. The event saw the attendance of NGOs, UN agencies, charitable institutions, governmental bodies, and private sector service providers in the humanitarian, educational, and construction sectors.

During a keynote session titled "Globalization and Localization: Actors," Dr. Hanaa Omar highlighted Saudi Arabia’s efforts through KSrelief to support vulnerable and affected populations worldwide. She noted that the humanitarian aid provided by the center has exceeded $7.8 billion, emphasizing the center’s core strategy of building effective partnerships with local organizations. This approach has resulted in collaboration with over 184 local partners through a specialized electronic platform that facilitates the registration and accreditation of humanitarian organizations based on international standards.

Dr. Omar underscored the significance of localization as a vital humanitarian necessity, especially in complex and hard-to-reach environments such as Sudan and Gaza. She stressed the essential role of local partners during the COVID-19 pandemic as key links in delivering aid, calling for their involvement in decision-making processes and enhancing their capacities for a more efficient and sustainable humanitarian response. She also highlighted the need to address challenges hindering localization by fostering effective partnerships that amplify the voices of local partners, understand their needs, and develop their capabilities, alongside establishing flexible systems and regulations that align with the realities of humanitarian work while ensuring adherence to humanitarian principles of neutrality, independence, and impartiality.

Dr. Omar showcased a successful model of humanitarian localization through the "Kafaak" (CFAAC) project, which the center has been implementing in Yemen since 2017. This initiative aims to reintegrate children affected by armed conflicts, benefiting 755 children directly and over 84,000 indirectly, in partnership with a local organization to ensure sustainable impact and respect for the cultural context of the target community.

Additionally, Dr. Hanaa Omar held a series of bilateral meetings with prominent international organizations on the sidelines of the conference to explore areas of mutual cooperation, expand humanitarian partnerships, and discuss coordination mechanisms that enhance the effectiveness of humanitarian responses at both regional and international levels.

The conference aimed to unify the efforts of humanitarian service providers, institutions, and governmental bodies, enhancing cooperation among stakeholders to innovate new ways to support vulnerable populations worldwide suffering from the repercussions of crises and natural disasters.