UN Team Reviews QRC Rrojects In Somalia

A United Nations delegation visited Qatar Red Crescent (QRC) headquarters to enhance cooperation and discuss issues of common interest.

The delegation comprised Nicholas Kay, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for UN Assistance Mission in Somalia, and Noboru Fernandes de Abreu, Special Assistant to Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia.

They were received by Saleh bin Ali Al Mohannadi, Secretary-General, QRC, Hamad Al Fayyad, Communications Adviser, and Izedeen Elglal, Head, Africa Office, Relief and International Development Department, QRC.

Al Mohannadi highlighted QRC’s relief and development interventions in Somalia on its own and in tandem with Qatari Charitable Alliance for Solidarity with the Somali People, culminating in an MoU with its Somali counterpart as a legal framework to execute humanitarian projects in the country. Kay said the situation in Somalia has largely improved in terms of security, economy, health care, education and new jobs, thanks to cooperation between authorities, Qatar and UN agencies, including Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Unicef.

Al Mohannadi stressed the importance of enabling local communities to return home and establishing productive projects for them, especially as the situation is improving in capital Mogadishu.

He said QRC has implemented relief and development projects through its office in Somalia, the latest of which being the opening of a health centre in Awdheegle district, Lower Shebelle, in partnership with Qatar Charity. The QR280,000 health facility will serve the district’s 30,000 population as well as neighbouring towns.

The UN officials praised efforts of humanitarian organisations working in Somalia, particularly in terms of building schools, employing more teachers, collecting garbage, rehabilitating hospitals and launching vaccination campaigns.

Refugee conditions are difficult, and there is a dire need to rebuild and rehabilitate infrastructure, mainly roads.

Source: The Peninsula