BRUSSELS — Saudi Arabia has provided more than $145 billion in humanitarian assistance to 175 countries worldwide, according to Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, Advisor at the Royal Court and Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief).
During his virtual participation in a World Economic Forum session titled “A New Ambition for Fragile and Frontier Markets” in Brussels, Belgium, Al Rabeeah highlighted that KSrelief has implemented over 4,000 projects worth more than $8.5 billion across 113 countries.
Al Rabeeah called for a shift in how fragile and frontier markets are perceived, emphasizing their potential for locally led economic growth and sustainable resilience rather than continued dependence on humanitarian assistance.
He outlined three priorities to support this transformation: upholding international humanitarian law and ensuring safe, unhindered humanitarian access; strengthening locally led relief efforts without placing additional burdens on communities; and mobilizing innovative financing to address growing funding gaps.
He stressed that grants alone are insufficient, calling for greater use of public financing, blended finance, risk-sharing mechanisms and private capital to encourage investment in high-risk frontier markets.
Al Rabeeah concluded by urging stronger international cooperation to transform humanitarian relief into long-term resilience and shared prosperity, creating opportunities while preserving the dignity of vulnerable communities.
Source: Saudi Gazette