- UK and Qatar partnership launch $50million co-funding initiative to help tackle the most pressing humanitarian and development crises around the world, including in Gaza.
- Funding announced in Doha by UK Development Minister Andrew Mitchell and Qatar Minister for International Co-operation Lolwah Al Khater.
- Minister Mitchell spoke with partners about the UK and Qatar's commitment to supporting the humanitarian response in Gaza, and secured a date for the inaugural UK-Qatar Development Dialogue
The UK and Qatar have announced a joint $50 million global humanitarian and development co-funding initiative today (18 February) as a part of their partnership to help crises around the world, including Gaza.
UK Minister for Development and Africa Andrew Mitchell's has spoken with key figures in Qatar about working hand in hand to respond to humanitarian crisis in Gaza. He was also able to secure a date for the inaugural UK-Qatar Development Dialogue which the UK will host in May. The Minister discussed this with Qatar's Minister for International Co-operation HE Lolwah Al Khater and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Al Khulaifi.
Minister Mitchell announced the joint funding alongside HE Lolwah Al Khater. Under this initiative, the UK and Qatar aim to build on our existing co-funding programmes in the Middle East and Africa by increasing bilateral projects and work through multi-lateral partners globally.
The two countries are working closely together to get humanitarian aid into Gaza. Earlier this month, through Qatar Fund For Development, a joint consignment of 29 tonnes of tents was delivered to Gaza, and the initiative announced today aims to deliver significantly more aid to civilians.
Speaking in Doha, UK Development Minister, Andrew Mitchell, said:
I'm delighted to be back in Doha to reinforce the UK's commitment to our development partnership with Qatar. Together, we have supported countries in need right across the world, including recently providing 29 tonnes of lifesaving aid to support the humanitarian response in Gaza.
Today we have agreed to commit an initial $50million in joint funding to continue to support the world's poorest people, and together we intend to go further and faster to alleviate the most pressing global development challenges.
This initial funding is an outcome of the Strategic Development MoU signed by Minister Mitchell at last year's United Nations Least Developed Countries Conference in Qatar.
The UK and Qatar have also agreed to hold an inaugural Development Dialogue, to drive forward further funding commitments. Both countries have co-funded development projects in the Middle East and Africa through our partnership the Qatar Fund For Development.
In Somalia, as part of famine prevention efforts in response to the country's longest ever drought, the UK and Qatar provided $6.5m support to humanitarian consortium 'Building Resilient Communities in Somalia' in April 2023. This delivered emergency cash assistance to 7,700 families to buy food and water, primary healthcare services to over 200,000 Somalis, including lifesaving vaccinations, and provided lifesaving treatment for over 17,000 severely malnourished children.
In Syria, the two countries supported the 'Syria Education Programme' which helps over 625,000 children across Northwest Syria to access safe, inclusive and quality education. The programme targets have been exceeded; providing over 16,000 teachers with pay, getting classrooms and toilet blocks refurbished, and ensuring that over 400 schools have sufficient heating to keep children and teachers warm over winter.
Notes
- While in Doha, Minister Mitchell also signed an extension to the existing agreement with 'Education Above All', which works to ensure equal access to education for out-of-school, refugee, and internally displaced children around the globe. In April 2023, the organisation joined with the British High Commission in Kampala to fund education for 65,000 children.
- The $50m co-funding initiative is the equivalent of £39.6m.
