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16 September 2025

As part of Qatar’s ongoing efforts to support the brotherly Syrian people, a humanitarian aid convoy was dispatched to the Syrian Arab Republic on Thursday, 11 September, in cooperation with the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), Qatar Charity (QC), and the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO).

The convoy comprised 24 trucks carrying food, medicine, and medical supplies to address urgent humanitarian and health needs in Syria and alleviate the suffering of displaced persons and the affected groups.

This initiative demonstrates QFFD’s commitment, alongside regional and international partners, to strengthening cooperation and ensuring an effective and sustainable humanitarian response for those most in need.

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Held from 5 to 20 March 2025, the campaign successfully collected over 60,000 new clothes from 18 locations, including leisure centers such as malls, mosques, and private sector stores, across Qatar, making it one of the most successful campaigns of its kind. A major collection site was Place Vendôme, where a single store collected 1,750 clothing items valued at QAR 73,000.

Mohamed Al-Kuwari, Acting CEO of Education Above All Foundation, said: “The ‘Eid Gift’ campaign reflects our strong commitment to supporting vulnerable communities, not only through education but also by responding to their essential humanitarian needs—especially during occasions that embody solidarity and dignity. We are proud of this partnership with Qatar Red Crescent Society and Qatar Fund for Development, and of the Qatari community’s overwhelming engagement, which played a pivotal role in the campaign’s success. We will continue working with our partners to create lasting, positive impact in the lives of children and families in Gaza and Syria.”

Faisal Al Emadi, Secretary-General of QRCS, expressed his happiness with the fruitful cooperation with EAA Foundation on the ‘Eid Gift’ campaign, conducted for the second year consecutively. This year, there are more collection points designated to receive in-kind donations from the generous people of Qatar, and the scope of target beneficiaries has expanded to include Gaza and Syria. “Throughout the campaign, QRCS volunteers have been unsung heroes, carrying out all the necessary organizing and logistic tasks,” said Mr. Al Emadi. “Aid trucks have already been deployed towards Jordan, where part of the aid shipment will be transported into Syria. The rest of the shipment will be prepared and put on hold, until it becomes possible to enter them into Gaza through the border crossing. We hope this will happen very soon, so that the children and people of Gaza can benefit from these new clothing items and feel the joy of Eid Al-Fitr”.

Ms. Nouf Al-Kaabi, Deputy Director General of Development Projects Sector at Qatar Fund for Development expressed, “We are proud to support the ‘Eid Gift’ campaign, a meaningful initiative that embodies Qatar’s longstanding commitment to humanitarian assistance and international solidarity. Through our collaboration with the Education Above All Foundation and the Qatar Red Crescent Society, we are able to support and bring hope to children and families in Gaza and Syria, ensuring they experience the joy of the Eid season. This campaign reflects the strength of our community and our shared responsibility to uplift those in need in pursuit of a peaceful and prosperous future.”

The “Eid Gift” campaign directly aligns with The State of Qatar’s ongoing efforts to support the brother people of Gaza and Syria. This commitment, rooted in the nation’s dedication to humanitarian principles, translates into tangible assistance aimed at alleviating suffering and fostering resilience in these vulnerable communities. By providing essential resources like new clothing and school bags, the campaign directly addresses the immediate needs of families affected by conflict and hardship, contributing to Qatar’s broader efforts to ensure access to education, promote well-being, and build a foundation for a more stable and prosperous future in both Gaza and Syria.

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Qatar Fund for Development has signed a loan agreement with the GCC Interconnection Authority to finance the expansion of the electricity grid in the brotherly Sultanate of Oman, as part of efforts to enhance regional cooperation and sustainable development. The total project cost is estimated at 560 million USD, with the fund contributing a loan of 100 million USD.

The project consists of the construction of two 400 kV electrical transmission lines connecting the Al-Sila station of the GCC Interconnection Authority in the UAE to the Ibri station, which will be built by the Authority in Oman, with a total length of 530 kilometers. The project includes the construction of two 400 kV electricity transmission substations in both the Ibri and Al-Bayouna areas, equipped with advanced control, protection, and communication systems to ensure reliability, efficiency, and safety. It will also include dynamic compensation stations to enhance network stability and increase transmission capacity, providing an overall transmission capacity of up to 1,700 MW, with a net capacity of 1,200 MW.

This project is a strategic step toward the integration of the GCC energy networks and a vital strategic initiative aimed at enhancing the integration of regional energy grids, increasing the reliability and sustainability of electricity systems in the region. It comes in response to global calls for the development of energy infrastructure and the achievement of sustainable development goals.

The project will provide significant benefits for Oman and the GCC countries, achieving savings of hundreds of megawatts from additional generation capacities, thereby reducing the need to build new power plants. It will also facilitate and enhance electricity exchange between GCC countries and Oman, increasing the flexibility of electrical systems and improving their stability. Additionally, it will reduce operational costs by cutting down the operational expenses of connected countries and generate significant annual financial savings. An important benefit of the project is its contribution to reducing carbon emissions, supporting environmental conservation goals.

In his statement, His Excellency Eng. Salim bin Nasser Al-Oufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals, confirmed that the signing of the financing agreement represents a strategic step within the GCC energy integration policies. He pointed out that the project enhances energy security and sustainability, supporting the GCC countries’ plans to develop energy infrastructure in an efficient and reliable manner.

His Excellency also praised the central role of the GCC Interconnection Authority in implementing joint interconnection strategies, emphasizing that this project strengthens the stability of electrical networks and supports the GCC’s drive toward integrated energy markets. He added that the contribution of Qatar Fund for Development reflects the importance of partnership in financing vital energy projects that contribute to sustainable development and enhancing the flexibility of the regional electricity system.

His Excellency Mohsen bin Hamad Al-Hadrami, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals and Chairman of the GCC Interconnection Authority, noted that the electricity interconnection project is one of the most important infrastructure projects approved by the GCC leaders. Since its operation in 2009, the electricity networks of GCC countries have been linked to a shared Gulf network, aimed at maintaining energy security for the electricity grids of GCC countries and achieving the highest levels of reliability, dependability, and efficiency. The Authority has successfully avoided power outages in member states’ networks by providing immediate support to transfer required energy through the interconnection network, with more than 2,800 support cases provided since the system’s inception.

He added that the Authority is keen to meet the growing requirements of electricity networks in all GCC countries. It has prioritized the expansion and development of the electricity interconnection between member states and the region’s electricity networks, leading to the implementation of several major projects to expand the grid, including the direct interconnection with the Sultanate of Oman. These projects will raise the capacity of the GCC interconnection network and provide member states with increased capacity in emergency situations.

Al-Hadrami pointed out that this project is a strategic step towards the integration of Gulf energy networks and a vital initiative to increase the reliability and sustainability of electricity systems in the region. It responds to global calls for energy infrastructure development and sustainable development goals.

For his part, His Excellency Eng. Ahmed Al-Ibrahim, CEO of the GCC Interconnection Authority, said that the project, which is expected to begin construction in the second half of 2025 and enter into service in the first half of 2027, will effectively contribute to improving network stability by reducing the impact of major outages and ensuring continuous operation under various conditions. He added, “The project will enable the networks to accommodate growing loads and support future expansions. It will also significantly contribute to accommodating renewable energy sources by enhancing the network’s ability to receive electricity produced from clean sources such as solar and wind energy, supporting the environmental goals of the GCC countries. It will also play a significant role in increasing energy exchange and trade between GCC countries and providing electricity trade opportunities for GCC countries, especially Oman, with the Republic of Iraq.”

He further added that the financing agreement is a continuation of the ongoing cooperation between the Authority and the Fund in the current phase of the electricity grid expansion, in addition to the southern Iraq interconnection project. There are three major projects to enhance interconnection with Kuwait, the UAE, and Oman, with a total cost exceeding one billion USD.

Al-Ibrahim commended the ongoing cooperation between the Authority and the Fund, which enhances the Fund’s contribution to financing infrastructure projects in the GCC countries to achieve sustainable development goals.

On the other hand, His Excellency Mr. Fahd bin Hamad Al-Sulaiti, Director General of Qatar Fund for Development, stated that the signing of the agreement is part of Qatar Fund for Development’s commitment to strengthening the economies of Arab and developing countries by providing the necessary financing and loans to implement development programs. This initiative is based on a shared belief in the importance of regional cooperation, with energy being a fundamental element to achieving stability and economic and social development in our countries.

This project reflects the Qatar Fund for Development’s continuous commitment to enhancing regional partnerships and efforts to support sustainable development, contributing to building a prosperous and stable future for the GCC countries and the Arab nations in the region.

During the signing of the agreement, Mr. Abdullah Al-Fihani, Deputy Director General for Risk and Compliance of Qatar Fund for Development, stated: “These efforts come as part of Qatar Fund for Development’s commitment to strengthening the economies of Arab and developing countries by providing the necessary financing and loans to implement development programs. This initiative is based on a shared belief in the importance of regional cooperation, with energy being a fundamental element to achieving stability and economic and social development in our countries.”

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On the sidelines of the United Nations Economic and Social Council’s (ECOSOC) 2025 Partnership Forum, the State of Qatar reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to advancing global development and humanitarian efforts.

Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) has signed several core contribution agreements with key United Nations agencies, including the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), providing critical support to their regular resources. These agreements underscore a shared commitment to strengthening international cooperation and ensuring sustained, impactful assistance for the world’s most vulnerable communities, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected settings.

In light of this occasion, HE Sheikha Alya Al-Thani, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations said, “The strategic dialogues between the State of Qatar and the United Nations agencies represent a vital platform to strengthen our partnership with the United Nations in general, as the State of Qatar believes that international cooperation and innovation are key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Through our partnership, we continue to work together to address global challenges and build a more inclusive and sustainable future for all.”.
Mr. Fahad Al-Sulaiti, Director General of Qatar Fund for Development, affirmed: “These agreements represent a significant step in our journey toward achieving sustainable and inclusive development, reflecting the State of Qatar’s unwavering commitment to supporting the most vulnerable communities worldwide. At Qatar Fund for Development, we believe that international cooperation is the key to addressing global challenges, and we continuously work on developing innovative mechanisms to enhance the impact of our humanitarian and development assistance, contributing to a more stable and just future for all.”

Reaffirming its commitment to strengthening global humanitarian response, QFFD has committed USD 16 million in unearmarked, multi-year funding to UNOCHA for 2025 and 2026. This funding will enhance UNOCHA’s capacity to coordinate and respond to humanitarian crises worldwide, ensuring timely and effective assistance to those in need. By providing flexible, predictable resources, QFFD aims to support UNOCHA’s ability to address complex emergencies and reinforce global humanitarian action.

Demonstrating its dedication to sustainable development and resilience-building, QFFD has signed a USD 16 million core contribution agreement with UNDP for 2025 and 2026. This contribution will enhance UNDP’s ability to support communities facing severe development challenges, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected settings. The flexible funding enables UNDP to respond swiftly to crises, invest in sustainable development initiatives, and drive long-term solutions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Recognizing that investing in children is fundamental to a prosperous and stable future, QFFD has renewed its support to UNICEF through a USD 8 million core contribution agreement. This funding, part of the ongoing five-year Strategic Framework Agreement between Qatar and UNICEF, aims to strengthen UNICEF’s capacity to deliver life-saving programs, improve access to quality education, healthcare, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), and child protection services, and respond to the urgent needs of children worldwide.

Further reinforcing its commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment, QFFD has signed a USD 1 million core contribution agreement with UN Women for 2025 and 2026. This support aims to advance initiatives that promote women’s leadership, economic participation, and protection from gender-based violence, ensuring that women and girls have equal opportunities to thrive and contribute to their communities.

These agreements reaffirm Qatar’s steadfast commitment to fostering global stability, resilience, and sustainable development through strategic partnerships with the United Nations. By prioritizing poverty alleviation, humanitarian crisis response, education, and gender equality, QFFD continues to drive innovative, collaborative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing humanitarian and development challenges.

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United Nations Plaza, New York
On the sidelines of the 2025 Economic and Social Council Partnership Forum, the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) engaged in a High-Level Strategic Dialogue with the State of Qatar and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The dialogue, hosted by the Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the United Nations, focused on advancing collaborative efforts in critical areas, including humanitarian response, child protection, education, and health.
The Strategic Dialogue underscored the importance of joint initiatives in conflict-affected regions, aiming to enhance access to quality education for the most vulnerable communities. The session also addressed the growing challenges including the impacts of climate change, highlighting the need for transformative solutions to safeguard children’s rights and futures.
During the dialogue, Sheikha Alya Al-Thani, Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations expressed, “These annual Strategic Dialogues are extremely important, as they offer a unique opportunity to celebrate our achievements, discuss shared priorities, and explore the partnership between the State of Qatar and UNICEF. Our objective is to continue strengthening this collaboration, reflecting on our progress, and outlining the path forward. The State of Qatar has long been a steadfast supporter and key partner of UNICEF, actively committed to improving children’s lives worldwide.”
Mr. Fahad Al-Sulaiti, Director General of QFFD, affirmed the Fund’s commitment to supporting communities around the world by stating: “As we gather here today, 244 million children and adolescents remain out of school, and countless others are denied basic rights like healthcare, education, and protection. These challenges demand innovative solutions and steadfast collaboration. At the heart of our partnership with UNICEF is a shared vision to address the barriers faced by the world’s most marginalized children and to contribute to international peace and security by advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.”

Ms. Catherine Russel also stated: “I am pleased to renew our commitments to children at the high-level meeting with the State of Qatar today,” said Russell. “We agreed to further strengthen our collaboration to achieve lasting results in saving and improving the lives of children.”
Furthermore, Ms. Kholoud Al-Mohannadi, Head of Communication and Global Advocacy at QFFD expressed “At a time of growing global challenges, millions of children are growing up in environments where learning is disrupted, healthcare is inaccessible, and basic protection remains out of reach. Yet, in the face of these hardships, our responsibility has never been greater, and our collective action has never been more urgent. Through our partnership with UNICEF, we remain committed to restoring hope, rebuilding opportunities, and empowering every child to realize their full potential and contribute to a more hopeful and prosperous future.”
Through this strategic engagement, QFFD remains steadfast in advocating for and strengthening collective efforts to secure a better future for all children, especially those in the most vulnerable regions affected by conflict, poverty, and lack of essential services. QFFD continues to work alongside partners to transform the lives of children globally through sustainable, inclusive development solutions.

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Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the United Nations, New York

As part of the Annual State of Qatar – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) High-Level Strategic Dialogue (HLSD), Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) reaffirms its commitment to utilizing open dialogue to enhance the long-standing partnership between the two organizations. On the track to achieving the SDGs by 2030, the dialogue progresses the efforts of the five-year Partnership Framework Agreement with UNDP from 2024-2028 while setting a platform for addressing the key challenges.
The HLSD was hosted in the Permanent Mission of The State of Qatar to the United Nations, and it was attended by HE Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations, Mr. Fahad Al-Sulaiti, Director General of QFFD, Mr. Achim Steiner, Administrator of the UNDP, a delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, and Qatar Charity.
During the High-Level Segment, reflections on the transformative partnership between QFFD and UNDP were realized, highlighting the keyways in which QFFD’s vision, which acts parallel in alignment with Qatar’s National Development Strategy and National Vision (2024-2030), actively contributes to achieving the UNDP’s core development areas (poverty and inequality, governance, resilience, environment, energy, gender equality).
The technical segments held conversations on innovating finance, infrastructure development, renewable energy, and ways to improve crisis response emergency situations with the overarching objectives of accelerating progress toward achieving the SDGs and addressing critical challenges with transformative solutions.

During the opening remarks of the dialogue, HE Shaikha Alya Al-Thani, Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations expressed, “This strategic dialogue between the State of Qatar and UNDP represents a vital platform to strengthen our partnership with the United Nations in general and UNDP in particular, as the State of Qatar believes that international cooperation and innovation are the key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Through our partnership, we continue to work together to address global challenges and build a more inclusive and sustainable future for all”.

Mr. Fahad Al-Sulaiti, Director General of Qatar Fund for Development, noted the importance of this High-Level Strategic Dialogue, and stated: “This dialogue represents a pivotal moment in the long-standing partnership between the Qatar Fund for Development and the United Nations Development Programme. Through this partnership, we have implemented transformative projects that address pressing global challenges, including improving educational infrastructure, strengthening healthcare systems, and innovating in renewable energy. These projects reflect the shared priorities of QFFD and UNDP and underscore our commitment to creating lasting impacts”.
UNDP’s Administrator Achim Steiner welcomed Qatar’s continued leadership and expressed gratitude to the State of Qatar for unwavering support to advancing the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals and supporting global development challenges, as he stated “Qatar is a key strategic partner for UNDP, actively contributing to global development through innovative and impactful solutions. Our collaboration reflects the core values of multilateralism needed in today’s complex world, reinforcing our shared commitment to supporting vulnerable communities and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.”

Furthermore, Sheikha Haya Al-Thani, Manager of Strategic Partnerships Department expressed “With the revolving door of world crisis brining back to us the same set of conflicts, natural disasters, and global health emergencies in different clocks, millions are left in dire need of immediate assistance. In response to these pressing challenges, QFFD and UNDP have built a robust partnership that is both agile and forward-thinking. Together, we aim not only to further solutions to crises but also to develop sustainable solutions that can strengthen global development systems.”

The partnership between QFFD and UNDP continues to thrive, with the annual dialogue serving as a platform to strengthen collaborative efforts and emphasize their shared mission of harnessing innovation and strategic partnerships to build a more sustainable future.

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