A high-profile delegation from the US embassy in Qatar visited Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) to discuss regional humanitarian issues.
The US embassy delegation comprised Charge d’Affaires, William Grant, Political-Economic Officer Colin Donovan, and Political Specialist Rana Shayya.
Chief Executive Director of QRCS, Ibrahim Abdullah al-Maliki, presented an overview of QRCS’s foreign operations, as well as disaster response procedures, from emergency intervention to early recovery, and then to long-term development.
The meeting also reviewed the foreign development mechanisms, planning, and reporting, as per the internationally recognised guidelines.
“We prioritise based on humanitarian appeals, needs assessments, and help requests from fellow national societies”.
“We try to make a balance between relief and development, and between Asia and Africa. Our top strategic portfolios are Gaza, Yemen, and Syria. Right now, our priority is Libya, as we are going to sign an agreement with the Libyan Red Crescent and Libya’s Ministry of Health,” he revealed.
According to al-Maliki, QRCS carefully selects, diversifies, verifies, and supports partners, particularly in its main scopes of work such as health care, water and sanitation, food aid, and emergency response. “We collaborate with Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and Education Above All (EAA) to launch health and educational initiatives,” he remarked.
“Locally,” al-Sulaiti pointed out, “We pay great attention to the welfare of expatriate workers.
Today, we signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Qatar’s National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking. Under the agreement, we will manage 3 male and 3 female shelter premises.”
“We work together with our counterpart National Society in the host country. We hire local volunteers, and sometimes, we send relief delegations to supervise the relief work on the ground. All the planning is centralised at QRCSs headquarters in Doha,” said al-Maliki.
The meeting also reviewed the foreign development mechanisms, planning, and reporting, as per the internationally recognised guidelines. “We prioritise based on humanitarian appeals, needs assessments, and help requests from fellow National Societies”.
“We work together with the Regulatory Authority for Charitable Activities (RACA) to ensure facilitated work, funding control, and legal compliance,” she stated. “In addition, we have an internal transparency and accountability unit, and we are the first humanitarian organisation in the region to have its own governance guide.”
It was agreed to join forces in the management of the worker shelter centres, as both sides were interested in the protection of human trafficking victims. “We will keep co-ordinating with the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor, and Social Affairs and the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) in the best interest of expatriate workers in Qatar,” he concluded.
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