RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA: According to data published by the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) on 21 December 2022, the Supervisor General of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, said that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) ranked first of donor countries in providing official development assistance to low- and middle-income countries, with an amount of USD 7.12 billion (SAR 26.71 billion). The published data highlighted the official development assistance provided by donor countries in 2021, including member states and countries with co-membership in the DAC which is the largest forum for donor countries. DAC is based in the French capital, Paris.

Dr. Al Rabeeah indicated that the provided assistance constitutes 1.05% of the KSA’s Gross National Income (GNI). He added that with this percentage, KSA ranked the top donor country and exceeded the goal approved by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in October 1970. UNGA’s approved goal was for donor countries to allocate 0.7% of their GNI as official development assistance, while striving to secure innovative sources of financing development in developing countries.

Dr. Al Rabeeah stated that KSrelief is doing tireless work to register KSA’s humanitarian and development aid in the Saudi Aid Platform. The Saudi Aid Platform was launched by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in 2018, where KSA’s aid is documented in cooperation with the relevant Saudi ministries and entities in order to highlight the humanitarian and developmental identity of KSA. He appreciated the significant efforts made by those entities in documenting KSA’s aid in international platforms, in accordance with internationally adopted standards.

Dr. Al Rabeeah said, “The directives of the KSA’s leadership contributed to this great achievement that placed our country at the forefront of international humanitarian action with all the merit.” He explained that the Kingdom throughout its history has and is a giving country that extends its hand to help affected people and provide relief to the needy around the globe. He said that KSA continues on its same noble approach that embodies the established values of the wise leadership and generous people, stressing that the exceptional and successive achievements of our dear country in this prosperous era are the result of the ambitious Saudi Vision 2030

In conclusion, Dr. Al Rabeeah raised his thanks, appreciation, and gratitude to the wise leadership for the unlimited support and great interest that humanitarian action receives, which made the Kingdom occupy a high global position in this field.