QFFD, UNOCHA Sign Three Agreements

QFFD and UNOCHA Sign Agreements

Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) continues to support the strategic partnership with The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA). Three agreements were signed in support to the global role of OCHA in addressing human needs.

The first agreement signed to provide an amount of unearmarked multi-year primary funding to OCHA with the amount of USD 16 Million over the period of two years 2021-2022. Second agreement was the signing of QFFD to support to The Syrian Cross-border Humanitarian Fund (SCHF), in addition to Jordan and Lebanon Country based Pooled Funds (CBPFs); with a total amount of USD 2 Million allocated to strengthen the capacity of local organizations and support growing needs of the affected populations. Third, to fund OCHA's Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) with the amount of USD 2 Million for 2022-2023, to be disbursed equally of USD 1 million each year. CERF enables humanitarian responders to deliver life-saving assistance whenever and wherever crises strike.

QFFD is one of OCHAs strategic partners and plays an important global role in responding to humanitarian crises. In 2020, the State of Qatar was ranked the 9th country in the top donors list for OCHA global donors contribution. The agreements aim at enhancing joint coordination and improving global humanitarian assistance.

Previous contributions between QFFD and OCHA included a Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation for the years 2017-2020, signed in Doha on 14 May 2017, to set out procedures which apply to QFFDs multi-year financial contributions to OCHA to the areas of cooperation in the humanitarian field, with the aim to strengthen joint coordination and emergency response.

HE QFFD Director General Khalifa bin Jassim Al-Kuwari, said: "The Qatar Fund for Development stresses that strengthening the capacity of humanitarian institutions demonstrates the Funds ability as a key partner to find solutions to the humanitarian and relief international crises. This support aimed at enhancing the efficiency of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the field of humanitarian response. This multi-year contribution is important to support the humanitarian assistance efforts lead by OCHA."

"Humanitarian needs continue to rise around the world and the most vulnerable people face the impact of the climate crisis, protracted conflicts and political instability," said UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths. "Our longstanding partnership with the Qatar Fund for Development and the flexible, multiyear support for OCHA and the Pooled Funds helps humanitarian organisations bring people the relief they desperately need."

SOURCE: QNA