A Qatar Charity (QC) delegation, presided over by its CEO Yusuf bin Ahmed al-Kuwari, has signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with a number of Turkish relief organisations and humanitarian actors, both in the capital Ankara and in Istanbul.

The MoUs cover areas of co-operation in development and relief within and outside of Turkey, and which mainly focus on providing aid to affected Syrians, according to a press statement.
Al-Kuwari lauded the co-operation with the Turkish strategic partners, which have extensive experience in the humanitarian field, noting that it stems from the efforts undertaken to work jointly with international and regional humanitarian organisations. He added that this co-operation would positively reflect on the services provided to Syrian refugees and displaced people.
Further, al-Kuwari explained that they expected to speed up the process of offering services to the “Syrian and Turkish brothers” by opening a QC regional office in Ankara and having several important strategic tie-ups with other partners.
QC signed, over the course of two days, three MoUs with the Turkish Red Crescent, IHH and AFAD.
The first MOU was signed between QC and the Turkish Red Crescent at the latter’s Istanbul office. It was inked by al-Kuwari and Turkish Red Crescent president Dr Karam Kink.
The MoU focuses on co-operation in critical areas in relation to humanitarian and development services within and outside of Turkey, whereby the parties will strengthen and support their efforts in the aforementioned areas and in countries where they have a presence, or even in nations where neither of them has a presence but where they wish to provide services to the affected and needy.
The co-operation covers several key areas, including preparedness for and response to disasters, water & sanitation, shelter & housing, health support, medical rehabilitation, food security, livelihood support, food aid, nutrition, education, vocational training, capacity building, social welfare, agriculture and support. This ‘general convention’ is valid for five years and may be renewed for similar periods.
A sub-convention was also signed for the Syrian people, whereby both parties have allocated $10mn to providing vital services over the next five years. The most important areas covered under this initiative are education, primary & secondary healthcare, vocational training & job creation, capacity building and psychosocial support.
In addition to signing the convention with the Turkish Red Crescent, QC donated an ambulance to the Red Crescent branch in Antakya. This was done at the request of the branch in order to distribute relief aid to Syrian refugees and support Turkish Red Crescent branch efforts to co-operate and visit the camps located in southern Turkey.
In the same context, QC and the Turkish IHH have renewed their MoU for five years, subject to renewal for a similar period, which focuses on co-operation in several areas within and outside of Turkey.
Sub-conventions have also been signed, whereby QR3,507,595 has been allocated to help provide winter relief materials for Syria, in addition to operating Cleese restaurant for four months.
The convention was signed by al-Kuwari and IHH president Bülent Y?ld?r?m.
Under the auspices of Qatar’s ambassador to Turkey, Salem bin Mubarak al-Shafi, the Ankara QC office has signed a MoU with AFAD. It is valid for five years and focuses on co-operation regarding humanitarian and relief efforts within and outside of Turkey.
Upon signing this convention, QC allocated $3,300,000 to support shelter efforts the Syrian people through AFAD.
These conventions were the culmination of QC’s efforts to address the impact of the ongoing Syrian crisis and alleviate the suffering of Syrian people, refugees and displaced people, the statement noted.
QC has implemented several relief projects for the Syrian people between April 2011 and November 2016, benefiting some 8mn people in Syria and neighbouring countries.
The conventions were signed in the presence of Faisal Alfahidh, QC’s executive director for operations management; Khaled Awanulla, QC’s supervision director; and Mohamed Wahi, QC’s regional director in Turkey.

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