Qatar Charity contributes over US$ 5m to UNHCR for Rohingya refugees and displaced in Afghanistan, Yemen

DOHA – UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and Qatar Charity (QC) have signed a Letter of Intent on an Islamic Philanthropy collaboration and three Zakat cooperation agreements amounting to QAR 18,206,369 (just over US$ 5 million) to help address the urgent needs of over 50,000 forcibly displaced families in Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Yemen.

Through this Letter of Intent, QC and UNHCR will collaborate in Islamic Philanthropy, highlighting the critical role Zakat plays in the response to global humanitarian needs. With the new contributions, UNHCR will provide: shelter and energy for cooking to 162,235 Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar settlement in Bangladesh; cash assistance and relief items to 116,669 displaced Afghans; and cash assistance for 22,728 displaced Yemenis.

The Letter of Intent was signed by QC Chairman H.E Sheikh Hamad bin Nasser bin Jassim Al Thani and Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, at UNHCR’s headquarters in Geneva.

H.E. Sheikh Hamad emphasised the importance of this strategic collaboration in addressing humanitarian challenges: “Today, Qatar Charity and UNHCR aim to tap into the potential of Islamic Philanthropy to bring about social justice for all, including forcibly displaced people, with projects aiming at supporting their most urgent needs in Bangladesh and Yemen and at creating favourable conditions for their safe return in Afghanistan.”

Grandi commended QC's support to UNHCR's humanitarian response and welcomed the partnership with QC as an example of responsibility-sharing and innovative Islamic Philanthropy.

“War, persecution, human rights abuses, and climate change have forced millions of people from their homes, leaving them searching for safety and support,” Grandi said. “They need and deserve help from the entire international community. I am therefore grateful for these timely Zakat contributions which will help some of the most needy and vulnerable people, and for Qatar Charity’s continued solidarity and support for people forced to flee their homes.”

For more information on this topic, please contact:

• In Dubai, Khaled Kabbara [email protected], +971 506 410 868