Perception at odds with reality of generous Saudi humanitarian support for Ukraine

1 / 5
KSrelief has funded humanitarian support in Poland, aiding the millions of refugees fleeing Ukraine. (SPA)
Short Url
Updated 15 August 2022
Follow

Perception at odds with reality of generous Saudi humanitarian support for Ukraine

  • Kingdom’s track record belies lack of recognition of its donations for displaced Ukrainian refugees
  • A $10 million aid package has just been signed off by the UNHCR, WHO and Saudi Arabia’s KSrelief 

JEDDAH: The perception that Saudi Arabia is not helping Ukrainians affected by the war with Russia is completely at odds with the reality. 

The firmness of the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting refugees and resolving the conflict has been evident since the outbreak of hostilities. Aid pledges have been matched by donations that are already making a big difference.

A $10 million Saudi humanitarian package for war-displaced Ukrainians has just been signed off by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the World Health Organization and Saudi Arabia’s leading humanitarian aid agency.

About half of the $10 million grant has been allocated for distribution through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief).

In April, King Salman directed KSrelief to provide this amount of support for immediate assistance and give “urgent medical and shelter aid” to Ukrainian refugees, giving priority to those arriving in Poland.




KSrelief chief Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah visiting Poland’s Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, which is supporting refugees in Warsaw. (Supplied)

Delivering on the Kingdom’s promise during his ongoing visit to Poland, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, adviser at the Royal Court and supervisor general of KSrelief, also discussed the humanitarian situation with Polish, UNHCR and WHO officials, according to a Saudi Press Agency report.

It said Al-Rabeeah visited several health establishments and facilities, taking time to speak to some Ukrainian refugees who had fled to Warsaw from their war-torn country.

“Thank you very much, and thanks to the center for helping us. The situation is as you can see,” a Ukrainian resident of a refugee center told Al-Arabiya news channel.

“All of us came from Ukraine, and we were in a very bad way. Thanks to you, our situation has improved. Thanks a lot, and we wish peace to the whole world.”  

At the Poland-Ukraine border, Al-Rabeeah lauded the collaboration between the WHO, KSrelief, and the Polish government. “We highly appreciate the partnership with the WHO. Our work together has made great support to refugees and those in need here and elsewhere,” he said in a video released by WHO Poland.

0 seconds of 1 minute, 50 secondsVolume 90%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
01:50
01:50
 

KSrelief has donated funds to support the critical response efforts for Ukrainians in Poland, with the delivery of emergency medical supplies and equipment benefiting more than 1 million people in need.

The Kingdom’s support for Ukrainian refugees is an extension of its well-known humanitarian efforts in more than 85 countries, yet several reports have hinted that Saudi Arabia has picked sides in the conflict because of its ties to Russia as a fellow OEPC+ member.

Despite the political and humanitarian initiatives taken by the Kingdom, urging all parties to come to the negotiating table to resolve the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy, the Kingdom’s efforts have been viewed with skepticism in some quarters.

A March report by the Wilson Center, a US government-linked public policy think tank, claimed that Saudi Arabia “has decided to side with Russia” and “chose Putin over Biden,” accusing the Kingdom of playing political games to keep oil prices high.

The remarks came despite the Kingdom’s repeated offers to both mediate between the warring parties and increase oil production along with neighboring Gulf countries.




Millions of Ukrainian refugees suddenly left their country in February after Russian troops invaded. (AFP)

The differences between the Western and Arab positions on the question of how to end the war have not stopped either side from addressing the humanitarian emergency.

For its part, Saudi Arabia has reiterated that though ending the ongoing war in Ukraine is no easy feat, the Kingdom has treated the issue just as any ongoing crisis in the region, stressing that human suffering is the same in all conflicts and that violence is not the solution.

In March, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told Russian President Vladimir Putin that the Kingdom was ready to exert all efforts to mediate between the two nations.




Saudi Arabia has sent millions of dollars in humanitarian aid for Ukrainians forced to stay in evacuation centers in Poland. (AFP photo)

In May, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, met with his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to discuss the crisis.

Less than a week later, Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov during the latter’s visit to Riyadh, where he underscored the importance of reaching a political solution to achieve security and stability for all involved.

Though scant details on Lavrov’s visit and meeting with Gulf Cooperation Council ministers were released, the trip was still misinterpreted as evidence of Saudi Arabia’s support for Russia, even though the Kingdom and other Gulf states had opted to stay neutral, treating the war in Ukraine in “a fair context” and providing aid to the needy.

In June, Prince Faisal bin Farhan clarified the Kingdom’s position further: “Our stance as Gulf countries regarding the Russian-Ukrainian crisis is unified,” he said on June 1 during a speech at the opening of the 152nd session of the Ministerial Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council.




Millions of Ukrainians were forced to leave their country since February after Russian troops invaded. (AFP photo)

“Today we had two fruitful meetings with the Russian and Ukrainian ministers, during which we stated our unified stance regarding the Russian-Ukrainian crisis and its negative consequences, namely the food security of the affected countries and the world.”

Saudi Arabia’s decision to remain neutral and prioritize humanitarian engagement during the war also ought to be viewed in the context of public opinion. In a recent Arab News-YouGov poll, of the more than 1,000 Saudis who were asked for their opinion, 14 percent blamed US President Joe Biden for the conflict while 21 percent blamed NATO.

While a high number of Saudi respondents expressed skepticism about NATO’s involvement with the conflict, 41 percent of Saudis said they did not know or were not sure who was to blame.

Throughout the conflict, more than 40 countries, organizations, and individual donors have made pledges and commitments, some of which have made their way to the 6.3 million refugees fleeing Ukraine as well as those who remained. But there is a striking gap between pledged and delivered support.




In this April 9, 2022, photo, Ukrainian refugees fleeing war stay at a gymnasium in Tijuana, Mexico as they await permission to enter the US. (AFP)

Thus far, most Western governments have given priority to military assistance over humanitarian aid.

According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, the US has pledged $23.8 billion in military aid, the highest amount to date, but has allocated a comparatively modest $8.9 billion to humanitarian assistance.

According to the center, that number has since increased but by a relatively small percentage. Similarly, the EU pledged $12.3 billion in military aid but just $1.4 billion has been siphoned for humanitarian response and aid packages.

Since the outbreak of the conflict, Western and Arab governments have been under no illusion that the need for a resolution of the conflict is no less pressing than addressing the humanitarian emergency.

Last month, President Biden visited Jeddah and met with King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The two sides discussed several topics of concern, including energy, security and the crisis in Ukraine.




King Salman bin Abdulaziz meets with US President Joe Biden, witnessed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and US State Secretary Antony Blinken at al-Salam Palace in Jeddah on July 15, 2022. (SPA)

Soon after Biden left the Kingdom, Adel Al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabia’s minister of state for foreign affairs, spoke to CNBC to set the record straight. “We have said from the very beginning, we supported the UN General Assembly Resolution and the inadmissibility abuse of force, about the sovereignty of nations and respect for that,” he said.

“We have called for a peaceful resolution to this; stop the fighting and get to the negotiating table and work out your differences peacefully.

“The concern that we have is that escalation on one side leads to escalation on the other side and before you know it, things are more likely to spin out of control and we all pay the price.”

For good measure, Al-Jubeir said: “We’ve reached out to both Russia and Ukraine. We’ve urged them to move towards a ceasefire settlement and their conflict peacefully. We continue to be engaged with them as are a number of other countries, and our hope is that they will be able to recognize that it’s better to argue across the table from each other than fight across the battlefield, because of the unintended consequences of war and conflict.”

Meanwhile, when it comes to humanitarian giving, Saudi Arabia’s pledges continue to be matched by its actions.

On Friday, accompanied by Saad Al-Saleh, the Saudi ambassador to Poland, KSrelief’s Al-Rabeeah visited the UNHCR’s warehouse facilities in Rzeszow in Poland. They jointly inspected the aid already provided as part of the Kingdom’s $10 million grant to support Ukrainian refugees.

 

Druze: the great survivors
How the world's most secretive faithhas endured for a thousand years

Enter


keywords

 


Eco-friendly and safer walkways expanded to 33% in Makkah Hajj sites 

Updated 25 May 2025
Follow

Eco-friendly and safer walkways expanded to 33% in Makkah Hajj sites 

  • Roads made of flexible rubber asphalt expanded to 33 percent this year
  • Walking on regular roads linked to 38 percent of foot and ankle injuries during Hajj

MAKKAH: Muslims performing Hajj this year will be seeing better quality and safer walkways in Makkah, thanks to the increased use of a new road construction solution.

Saudi authorities have announced the expansion of roads made of flexible rubber asphalt by 33 percent this year, with work on the road extending from Namirah Mosque to Al-Mashaer train station in Arafat, raising the total area to 16,000 square meters.

"Instead of accumulating used tires, which are a major source of air pollution when burned, this technology recycles them and transforms them into a flexible asphalt layer that absorbs impact and provides comfortable walking paths," the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

The report quoted the Kingdom's Roads General Authority (RGA) as saying tests conducted on asphalt surfaces and regular sidewalks "cause strong reactions on pilgrims’ ankles and feet, especially the elderly, who constitute 53% of pilgrims."

About 38 percent of foot and ankle injuries that are dealt with by healthcare facilities during Hajj have been attributed to walking on regular walkways.

As explained, smart surfaces that come with the use of flexible rubber asphalt help absorb shock and relieve pressure on the human body’s joints, especially the ankles and feet.  

The RGA experiment is in line with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030’s commitment to sustainable development, smart cities, and enhancing the safety and comfort of all residents and visitors.

Saudi officials expect the number of pilgrims in this year's Hajj to surpass last year's figure, which the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) counted at 1.83 million. Of that number, 1.61 million arrived from outside the Kingdom through various entry points, while 221,854 were internal pilgrims, including citizens and expatriates.

Hajj 2025 is expected to start on June 4, subject to confirmation by Saudi Arabia’s official moon-sighting authorities.

As of May 21, 2025, a total of 755,344 pilgrims arrived in the Kingdom from abroad through all air, land, and sea entry points, according to the General Directorate of Passports, also known as the Jawazath.

Indonesian pilgrims are anticipated to lead the biggest delegation again for Hajj 2025. Last year, a total of 221,000 Indonesian pilgrims arrived in the Kingdom for Hajj, followed by Pakistan with 180,000. India came third at 175,025, Bangladesh was fourth at 127,198, and Nigeria completed the top 5 with 95,000 pilgrims.


Over 1,245 wild animals resettled so far in Saudi Arabia’s largest natural reserve

Updated 25 May 2025
Follow

Over 1,245 wild animals resettled so far in Saudi Arabia’s largest natural reserve

  • More than 120 wildlife births also recorded at King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Natural Reserve

TURAIF: King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Natural Reserve (KSRNR), Saudi Arabia’s largest, has so far resettled more than 1,245 wild animals, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The reserve has also recorded over 120 births among its wildlife, SPA said, citing records of the KSRNR Development Authority as it marked International Day for Biological Diversity on May 22.

Located in the Kingdom’s north, the reserve is home to over 290 species of migratory birds, more than 550 types of wild and grazing plants, and over 350 species of various mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.

KSRNR is home to over 290 species of migratory birds. (SPA photo)

Among these animals are the rare deer, the Arabian gazelle, the Arabia oryx, and the kestrel, a medium-sized bird of prey.

KSRNR covers an area of 130,000 square kilometers, spanning the provinces of Hail, Tabuk, Jouf, and the Northern Borders.

Map of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Natural Reserve. (Courtesy of KSRNR)

The reserve hosts a diversity of physical geography, consisting of 14 geographic formations of mountains, plains, and plateaus, and rare monuments dating back to about 8,000 BC.

Also within the reserve are villages, such as Al Qurayyat and Tubarjal towns in the Jouf and the city of Turaif in the Northern Borders. 

The authority has said the reserve is dedicated to preserving unique natural habitats, transforming into a haven for wildlife, a crucial stopover for migratory birds each year, and a natural sanctuary with its balanced environment and diverse landscapes.

Since its inception, the authority has focused on raising environmental awareness within the local community to bolster its conservation efforts.

Citizens participate in the KSRNR's vegetation program as part of the national effort make the Kingdom greener and combat desertification. (SPA photo)

Last year, the KSRNR authority also reported having planted more than 2,400,000 seedlings, rehabilitated 700,000 hectares, removed 119 tons of hazardous waste, and scattered 4 tons of local seeds in the reserve.

The voluntary seed scattering initiative covered six valleys on reserve territory, including Nayal Valley of Niall Shuaib Abu Talihat, Fager Valley, Shaib al Qilayyib, Sarbout Plath, Mot and Masaha Valleys. 

“The two-month initiative aims to develop vegetation and increase the green area of the reserve, with the participation of several voluntary associations and volunteers, by scattering an estimated four tons of seeds,” the authority posted on its website.


The Saudi artist giving traditional crafts a new voice

Updated 24 May 2025
Follow

The Saudi artist giving traditional crafts a new voice

  • Fatimah Al-Nemer honors generational knowledge through collaborations with Saudi craftswomen

RIYADH: What if traditional crafts were not relics of the past but blueprints for the future? Saudi artist Fatimah Al-Nemer, whose work is on show at Riyadh’s Naila Art Gallery, transforms ancestral materials into contemporary narratives, blending palm fronds, clay, and wool with concept and meaning.

For Al-Nemer, heritage is not something to simply preserve behind glass. It is something to touch, reshape and retell. And traditional crafts are far more than manual skills; they are living archives.

“In the Arabian Peninsula, people adapted to their environment by turning clay, palm fronds, and wool into tools for survival and then into objects of timeless beauty,” she told Arab News.

Saudi Arabia’s traditional crafts, shaped over generations, carry stories that Fatimah Al-Nemer reinterprets through contemporary art techniques. (Supplied)

These crafts, shaped over generations, carry stories that Al-Nemer reinterprets through contemporary art.

Her project, Al-Kar, exemplifies this approach. Named after the traditional climbing tool used by date harvesters, the piece was created in collaboration with Saudi craftswomen.

Al-Nemer transformed humble palm fibers into a three-meter-long rug, elevating simple material into a conceptual installation.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Through her work, Fatimah Al-Nemer dissolves the boundaries between craft and art, heritage and modernity.

• Those curious about the artist’s work can view some of her pieces at solo exhibition ‘Memory of Clay,’ held at Naila Art Gallery until May 30.

“This is not merely an aesthetic celebration,” she said. “It’s a rewriting of our communal identity. Our heritage is rich — not only in materials, but in stories.”

Artist Fatima Al-Nemer with her artworks. (Supplied)

Her work goes beyond decorative craft; she treats traditional practices as conceptual frameworks, weaving narratives through textiles, clay and palm fiber.

Her collaborations with artisans ensure that generational knowledge is embedded in each piece. “The material is never separate from the experience,” she added. “It becomes witness — marked by the presence of women, place and memory.”

Participation in international exhibitions has expanded Al-Nemer’s artistic outlook, allowing her to view local materials like clay and textiles as globally resonant.

This is not merely an aesthetic celebration. It’s a rewriting of our communal identity. Our heritage is rich — not only in materials, but in stories.

Fatimah Al-Nemer, Saudi artist

“The global art scene recontextualizes challenges like the marginalization of craft, and transforms them into dialogues about identity and memory,” she said.

For Al-Nemer, craftswomen are not merely implementers, but collaborators. “They carry manual intelligence honed across generations,” she added, commending institutions like Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Commission and Herfa Association that are now empowering artisans in alignment with the Kingdom’s cultural transformation.

A person contemplates an artwork by Fatima Al-Nemer. (Supplied)

“Craft is no longer confined to the past — it is a living contemporary practice with global relevance,” she said.

Those curious about the artist’s work can view some of her items at solo exhibition “Memory of Clay,” held at Naila Art Gallery until May 30.

The exhibition offers a contemplative journey into themes of memory, belonging and identity transformation, using clay as a visual and cultural symbol.

Artist Fatimah Al-Nemer answers questions from the audience at her exhibition, "Memory of Clay," which runs in Riyadh until May 30. (Supplied)

Featuring 12 works created through mixed media and a combination of traditional and contemporary techniques, Al-Nemer reimagines ancient Saudi crafts through a modernist lens, presenting clay not simply as raw material, but as a timekeeper and silent witness to human evolution.

“Clay is not just a medium,” she said. “It is a mirror of our collective memory, shaped as we are shaped, cracking to reveal hidden layers of nostalgia and wisdom.”

This philosophy materializes in the tactile depth, earthy hues and intricate details that define her works — each piece echoing the raw pulse of life.

To young Saudi women hoping to innovate through craft, Al-Nemer offers this message: “Believe in the value of what you hold. The world doesn’t just want the product — it wants the story behind it.”

With expanding institutional support and evolving creative spaces, the artist sees an opportunity: “Craft can thrive as both art and enterprise as long as authenticity remains at its core.”

Through her work, Al-Nemer dissolves the boundaries between craft and art, heritage and modernity.

Every thread and every texture becomes a testament to identity — crafted by hand, read by the eye and understood by the heart.

 


City Walk brings wildlife encounters to Jeddah

Visitors can touch, feed, and observe tame species under the supervision of experts and handlers. (AN photo)
Updated 24 May 2025
Follow

City Walk brings wildlife encounters to Jeddah

  • More than 50 rare and exotic bird species from Indonesia, Australia, Africa, and South America are part of the experience this year

JEDDAH: Nature lovers are heading to the Birds and Reptiles Cave, part of Jeddah Season, at City Walk for a wild experience.

The exhibit, which runs until June 14, presents visitors with an array of exotic animals, from vibrant, free-flying birds to reptiles housed in carefully crafted enclosures. Visitors can touch, feed, and observe tame species under the supervision of experts and handlers.

Visitors can touch, feed, and observe tame species under the supervision of experts and handlers. (AN photo)

More than 50 rare and exotic bird species from Indonesia, Australia, Africa, and South America are part of the experience this year.

Mohammed Bukhari, one of the exhibit’s wildlife experts, said, “We offer a unique experience that weaves together the magic and diversity of nature’s wildlife within an entertaining and consumer-friendly environment.”

FASTFACT

More than 50 rare and exotic bird species from Indonesia, Australia, Africa, and South America are part of the Birds and Reptiles Cave.

He emphasized the cave’s broad appeal, noting that it caters to both wildlife enthusiasts and casual visitors. “Parents are increasingly bringing their kids to connect with nature and experience wildlife,” Bukhari added. “From schoolchildren to the elderly, everyone gets rejuvenated and energized after spending some time exploring nature with such birds and reptiles.”

Visitors can touch, feed, and observe tame species under the supervision of experts and handlers. (Supplied)

Hamdaan Al Buadaani from Taif, who visited the cave with his son, said: “My son was very happy to see birds flying over his head, holding little snakes in his hand, touching the big and small turtles and getting up close with macaws, owls, kangaroo and monkeys.”

Adel Al-Mansouri, who visited with his family, praised the cave as a great outing for children. “It is an ideal place to view reptiles and birds,” he said. “There is a good variety of birds and reptiles and my kids were so happy to touch and play with birds.”

 


Saudi e-game developers shine at Riyadh’s ‘Zero to Hero’ bootcamp

Teams Hanka, Nomad, and AlUla were honored for their excellence in game design, development, and innovation. (SPA)
Updated 24 May 2025
Follow

Saudi e-game developers shine at Riyadh’s ‘Zero to Hero’ bootcamp

  • The 12-week bootcamp aimed to enhance participants’s skills in game design and development while exploring industry trends, challenges, and opportunities

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority concluded the “Zero to Hero” gaming bootcamp by recognizing three winning teams for their standout entrepreneurial ideas in the electronic gaming sector.

Held at the authority’s support center in Riyadh, the event was attended by Deputy Gov. for Entrepreneurship Saud Al-Sabhan, along with industry experts and specialists.

Teams Hanka, Nomad, and AlUla were honored for their excellence in game design, development, and innovation. (SPA)

Teams Hanka, Nomad, and AlUla were honored for their excellence in game design, development, and innovation, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

The event drew wide participation, with attendees showcasing their projects to a select group of experts and investors, the SPA added.

Teams Hanka, Nomad, and AlUla were honored for their excellence in game design, development, and innovation. (SPA)

The 12-week bootcamp aimed to enhance participants’s skills in game design and development while exploring industry trends, challenges, and opportunities.

Out of 148 applicants, 10 projects advanced, benefiting from 47 specialized workshops that boosted their technical and creative capabilities.

The program unfolded in four phases: an introduction to the bootcamp, intensive game development training, prototype creation, and final project presentations before a panel of experts and investors.

The initiative reflects the authority’s commitment to advancing the Kingdom’s gaming industry by nurturing local talent, fostering innovation, and empowering entrepreneurs to compete on regional and global levels.