Kuala lumpur: The scheduled Partners for Yemen conference kicked off in the Malaysian capital on Saturday to support teaching in the afflicted nation under the aegis of the Kuwait-headquartered International Islamic Charity Organization (IICO), with participation by the Kuwaiti Al-Rahma International Society. Abdulrahman Al-Mutawaa, the IICO projects deputy director, said in a statement to KUNA during his participation in the convention that the organization places welfare of the Yemeni people on top of its priorities. Supporting education in Yemen is not an optional matter; it is rather an investment in the nation's future, he stressed.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Al-Mutawaa revealed that the IICO executed up to 126 educational projects in 23 states, in partnership with 56 local and international foundations. In Yemen, the organization executed various humanitarian and educational ventures over the past five years at a cost of USD 11 million. These projects, carried out in collaboration with Yemeni associations, benefited 55,000 Yemeni students both in and outside the country.
Meanwhile, Ghanem Al-Shahin, the director of programs and projects at Al-Rahma Charity, stated that the society was taking part in this conference for the second time, with the first round having been organized in Istanbul. An IICO branch, Al-Tawsaol Foundation, has executed many educational projects in Yemen, he added.
The State of Kuwait Ambassador to Malaysia, Rashed Al-Saleh, remarked to the Kuwaiti news agency that the conference's convening reflects Kuwait's steady support for humanitarian and development activities worldwide, particularly in Yemen, which is facing severe humanitarian challenges. The ambassador noted that the latest support aligns with Kuwait's humanitarian policy and emphasizes education as a foundation for community development.
Ali Abab, the deputy Yemeni minister of education, participating in the event, affirmed that the conferees would deliberate on plans to tackle obstacles in the humanitarian and teaching sectors. The two-day conference also aims to secure funds for educational projects in Yemen.