UNHCR and Qatar Charity sign two agreements to support the humanitarian needs of Sudanese refugees in Egypt and Chad

6 September 2023(PEN) UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and Qatar Charity have signed two agreements to support the humanitarian needs of more than 30,000 Sudanese refugees in Egypt and Chad with Zakat funds, worth up to 4,375,696 Qatari riyals (US$1,200,136).

According to UNHCR, the two agreements come as part of the memorandum of intent on Islamic charitable cooperation signed last March between UNHCR and Qatar Charity, based on the important role that zakat plays in responding to global humanitarian needs.

Through this contribution, UNHCR will provide cash assistance to 22,341 Sudanese refugees in Egypt to enable them to secure their most urgent needs, such as rent, food and healthcare, UNHCR said. In addition, UNHCR will provide 7,790 Sudanese refugees in Chad with basic relief items, such as blankets, kitchen sets and sleeping mats.  

Ahmed Mohsen, UNHCR's Representative to the State of Qatar, praised Qatar Charity's commitment to supporting humanitarian efforts, and welcomed this contribution, saying: "With more than 759,000 refugees forced to flee conflict in Sudan and cross into neighbouring countries, humanitarian requirements are increasing, and our teams are working around the clock to support them and respond to their needs." "We appreciate this timely contribution of Zakat from Qatar Charity and hope it will enhance our ability to reach more refugees in need."

For his part, Nawaf Abdullah Al Hammadi, Assistant CEO of Operations and International Programs at Qatar Charity, reiterated Qatar Charity's humanitarian commitment to supporting forcibly displaced people in cooperation with UNHCR, saying: "With this contribution, we hope to alleviate some of the burdens placed on Sudanese refugee families in Egypt and Chad, in a dignified manner through cash assistance and basic relief items, allowing them to prioritize their spending and cover their most urgent needs."

According to UNHCR, more than 280,000 people seeking safety have arrived in Egypt across the country's southern border, and the conflict in Sudan has forced more than 4.9 million people to flee their homes inside and outside the country.