RIYADH — Advisor at the Royal Court and Supervisor General of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah has said Saudi Arabia ranked first among donor countries in offering official development assistance, including humanitarian and development aid, to low- and medium-income countries with a total of SR26.71 billion (around $7.12 billion) according to data published by the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on Wednesday.

The data showcased the official development assistance offered by donor countries in 2021 — member states and states with associate memberships at DAC. The Paris-based committee is considered the biggest forum for donor countries.

Al Rabeeah noted that this assistance constitutes 1.05% of Saudi Arabia’s gross national income, adding that by this proportion the Kingdom has topped the donor countries.

At this ratio, Saudi Arabia has also surpassed the target approved by the United Nations General Assembly in October 1970 that donor countries should allocate a 0.7% of their gross national income as official development assistance while seeking innovative sources of financing development in developing countries, Al Rabeeah said.

He noted that KSrelief is exerting relentless efforts to register the Kingdom's humanitarian and development assistance in the Saudi Aid Platform launched by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman in 2018. Assistance is documented in cooperation with relevant Saudi ministries and departments to highlight Saudi Arabia’s humanitarian and development identity.

The KSrelief supervisor general also expressed appreciation for the great efforts of these agencies in documenting and recording the assistance provided by the Kingdom to the peoples and countries of the world through international platforms in accordance with globally approved standards.

He said: “The directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, have contributed to this big achievement that put the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the top of international humanitarian action.”

He noted that the Kingdom, "throughout its history, has been a supporter for the needy wherever they are, and that it will continue to play this noble approach that embodies the profound values of the wise leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its generous people."

He stressed that "exceptional and successive accomplishments of our dear homeland in this prosperous era are a result of the ambitious Saudi Vision 2030."

Concluding his speech, Al Rabeeah extended his appreciation and gratitude to the wise leadership for its unlimited support and big concern for humanitarian action, which made Saudi Arabia assume a prestigious global role in this field. — SPA