Kuwait city: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Filippo Grandi has urged the international community to increase its support for the 123 million forcibly displaced persons facing escalating humanitarian challenges and severe financial crises.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Grandi made this call during a press conference following his official visit to Kuwait, where he engaged in discussions with prominent Kuwaiti leaders including His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Al-Yahya. Grandi expressed his appreciation for Kuwait's ongoing commitment to aiding forcibly displaced individuals through both official and unofficial humanitarian initiatives.
During his visit, Grandi also met with Waleed Al-Bahar, the Acting Director-General of Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), and signed two grant agreements totaling USD 5.7 million. These grants are intended to support displaced persons and refugees from Sudan, as well as their host communities in Sudan and Chad. The first agreement, valued at USD 2.5 million, focuses on improving access to education, clean water, and healthcare for over 300,000 people affected by the conflict in Sudan.
The second agreement, worth USD 3.2 million, aims to enhance the resilience and living conditions of approximately 50,000 Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad. Grandi emphasized that these agreements underscore the strong partnership between UNHCR and KFAED in addressing the humanitarian crises in the region. He praised the collaboration, noting its contribution to bettering the lives of thousands of Sudanese refugees and their families by providing essential resources such as shelter, clean water, education, and basic health services.