Saudi Arabia highlights leadership in humanitarian diplomacy at UN event

Royal Court Advisor Abdullah Al-Rabeeah highlighted Saudi Arabia's pivotal humanitarian role during a high-level UN event in New York. Al-Rabeeah, Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), addressed the conference, "Humanitarian Diplomacy that Protects International Humanitarian Law," organized by the EU, AU, Ireland, Brazil, Jordan and attended by Queen Mathilde of Belgium.

Al-Rabeeah stressed the importance of diplomacy in upholding international humanitarian law and safeguarding civilians, particularly in conflict-ridden areas like the Middle East and Africa. He emphasized that Saudi Arabia has spearheaded humanitarian and development initiatives, funding over 9,000 projects across 175 nations, totalling over $145 billion, with a focus on crisis-stricken communities.

He underscored that humanitarian diplomacy serves as a critical tool in preventing conflict escalation, fostering dialogue, and facilitating the safe and sustainable delivery of aid. Al-Rabeeah highlighted the necessity for coordinated, neutral, and impartial humanitarian diplomacy to protect civilians, ensure aid delivery, uphold international humanitarian law obligations, and deter attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure.

He reaffirmed KSrelief's commitment to forging strategic partnerships with UN agencies, international and national organizations, and the private sector to drive innovation and enhance humanitarian outcomes. The center has collaborated with 112 local groups on 586 projects worth more than $779 million in 34 countries, and boasts 262 registered partners to bolster local community resilience.

Al-Rabeeah cautioned against the potential misuse of artificial intelligence in conflicts, advocating for the revision of international humanitarian law to shield civilians from such threats. He applauded UN efforts to advance the "Resetting the Humanitarian Agenda" and stressed that reforms must be grounded in accountability, transparency, inclusivity, and the empowerment of local actors.

Al-Rabeeah concluded by emphasizing that humanitarian diplomacy merges principles with practice, and that protecting international humanitarian law and shielding civilians is a shared responsibility that demands continuous dialogue, effective partnerships, and decisive action.