RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA: Supervisor General of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, recently stated that that education, training, capacity building, innovation, and global cooperation are all essential for bringing hope to communities in need.

Dr. Al Rabeeah made the statement during an address at the Human Capability Initiative conference, the theme of which was: “Preparing for the Future”. The conference was held from 28 to 29 February in Riyadh under the patronage of HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and was organized by the Human Capacity Development Program. The event took place at King Abdulaziz International Convention Center, and was attended by a number of Highnesses, Excellencies, Ministers and members of the Program Committee.

Dr. Al Rabeeah explained that “in our quest to expand human capabilities, we must look beyond traditional ideas, and ask ourselves bold questions, such as what if humanitarian efforts were able to go beyond meeting basic needs and were instead able to provide practical steps towards building the capacities of communities and improving livelihoods? What if humanitarian efforts through global cooperation were to resolve conflicts or even prevent them? What if those efforts focused more on giving real hope, achieving stability, and ensuring a brighter future for IDPs and refugees?”

Dr. Al Rabeeah also asked, “What if humanitarian efforts focused more on children's health, protection, and education? What if cooperative humanitarian efforts provide real opportunities for vulnerable communities by providing training programs, capacity building programs, and technical support to ensure a better future for them, and what if efforts included collaborations with universities, researchers, and industries to provide solution and hope for fragile and struggling communities worldwide?” 

"Although the goals behind these questions pose real challenges to humanitarian aid providers today, their achievement is not impossible," said Dr. Al Rabeeah.

He added, "but if we do not take urgent measures, global donor funding may not even be sufficient to cover urgent relief responses, let alone provide opportunities for those in need to improve their lives and the lives of their families."

Dr. Al Rabeeah highlighted that KSrelief has worked over the past eight years with 175 partners to maximize efforts and increase capabilities, creating opportunities and helping communities in need to move toward self-sufficiency and achieve a brighter future. 

He then presented some actual stories of a few of KSrelief’s beneficiaries to illustrate ways in which humanitarian support can enhance the spirit of self-reliance in vulnerable communities.  

Dr. Al Rabeeah concluded his remarks by stressing that the humanitarian funding gap continues to expand, that the shift towards capacity building is necessary, and that education, training, and capacity building, along with innovation and global cooperation, are essential elements for bringing hope to communities in need worldwide. He also called on universities, researchers, and industry to participate and innovate to improve the lives of crisis-affected communities worldwide.