Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia marks International Migrants Day, observed annually on December 18 to highlight migrants’ rights, promote dignified living conditions, improve their economic situation, and help curb migration globally. Over the years, the Kingdom has played a pivotal role in improving the conditions of migrants and refugees, providing care, strengthening resilience, and delivering humanitarian and relief assistance through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief).
According to Saudi Press Agency, KSrelief, as the Kingdom’s humanitarian arm, has mobilized all its resources to support international efforts aimed at alleviating the suffering of internally displaced persons and refugees and ensuring optimal living conditions for them. Saudi Arabia has provided refugees with substantial support totaling $1.217 billion through 458 relief projects, of which KSrelief implemented 363 projects valued at more than $502 million.
The assistance included food aid, healthcare, shelter, and education programs aimed at helping refugee families regain stability after crises. In the food-security sector, KSrelief implemented a food voucher distribution project in Jordan targeting migrant families of five members or more to ensure access to basic food supplies. The center also distributed food baskets to Syrian refugee families in Lebanon, benefiting about 73,990 people, and provided food assistance to 12,700 Congolese refugee families in Uganda to improve their living conditions.
In healthcare, KSrelief carried out key projects, including providing 100,000 dialysis sessions and medicines for Sudanese kidney transplant patients in Egypt. In Baalbek, Lebanon, the center enhanced healthcare services for Syrian refugees and host communities by offering free medical services supported by digital systems to ensure continuity of care, alongside awareness and psychological support programs. KSrelief implemented a volunteer medical project to provide prosthetic limbs for Ukrainian refugees in Poland, supporting low-income beneficiaries unable to cover treatment costs.
In the shelter sector, the KSrelief inaugurated the Saudi Village for Yemeni refugees in Obock, Djibouti in 2018, comprising 300 housing units, a mosque, a school, two medical clinics equipped with primary healthcare devices, a water network, and protection and facility management services. In South Sudan, KSrelief provided shelter assistance to secure safe housing for 3,300 refugees affected by the humanitarian crisis. The center covered rental costs for Syrian refugee families in Jordan headed by widows and orphans and provided grants to help offset their electricity and water bills.
KSrelief established 500 mobile housing units (caravans) for Syrian families in the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan to replace uninhabitable units and accommodate new arrivals and newlyweds. As part of its efforts to support refugee education worldwide, KSrelief implemented notable education projects for Syrian refugees in Jordan, including volunteer programs in refugee camps offering specialized training courses in electrical installations, healthcare, and tailoring. The center oversees the operation of the Saudi community service center at the Zaatari camp to ensure the continuity of education and training programs. It also distributed school bags to Syrian students in the camp to support school enrolment, encourage continued education, and help reduce dropout rates.
Saudi Arabia has long been recognized for its humanitarian stance and commitment to supporting human dignity, both within its borders and abroad.