Kuwaiti foreign policy is based on many principles and pillars including supporting charitable and philanthropic work in most countries around the world, said a Kuwaiti diplomat on Tuesday.
In an interview with KUNA, marking the UN’s International Day of Charity on September fifth, Assistant Foreign Minister for Development and International Cooperation Affairs Ambassador Hamad Al-Mashaan affirmed that the State of Kuwait was always known as a country that aided others during time of crisis and empowered the poor.
This was based on humanitarian, religious and social obligations that Kuwait and its people carry with pride, added the diplomat. He went on to say that on the government level, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) played an integral role in promoting development in all nations especially the ones who were struggling financially to implement their development goals.
The KFAED provided loans and grants to enable various countries to achieve their welfare and progress, affirmed Al-Mashaan. On the private level, Kuwaiti charitable societies were well known for their efforts in several countries, responding to the ones in need and assisting them in case of natural disasters and plight.
In regards to the Foreign Ministry efforts, Ambassador Al-Mashaan revealed that the ministry was tasked, according to a cabinet decision on October seventh, 2001, to supervise and organize Kuwait’s charitable efforts abroad in line with the country’s status as a UN global humanitarian center, an honor earned in 2014.
The UN also chose the late Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as a humanitarian leader the same year due Kuwait’s extensive relief aid efforts. The Foreign Ministry’s Development and International Cooperation department as well as the country’s diplomatic missions abroad coordinate charitable efforts by Kuwaiti entities wherever they may occur, stated the diplomat, affirming that this procedure was done to protect the integrity of Kuwaiti charitable efforts abroad from fraud and misuse.
He revealed that the ministry also developed a database for charitable and humanitarian efforts, providing necessary information for foreign entities in regards to numbers pertaining to Kuwait’s charitable work. Ambassador Al-Mashaan reiterated that such database made Kuwaiti charitable efforts transparent to the world and also avoided the misuse of the money in insidious plots such terrorism and money laundering.
The database also collects information regarding foreign charitable entities, which need to register with the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry’s missions abroad, said Al-Mashaan, noting that around 951 were registered thus far and Kuwaiti charitable organizations could cooperate with them to help those in need.
He also noted that donations online given to any charity would go through the Masar “the path” electronic service for humanitarian efforts, which in turn is supervised by the ministry for further security and assurance.
Once the donations were in the foreign ministry’s account, they would coordinate with trustworthy foreign charitable entities for distribution of relief aid and assistance. Furthermore, Al-Mashaan said, Kuwaiti charitable organization would be assisted by the Foreign Ministry to deliver the necessary finances and materials to those who really need it.
He indicated that charitable organizations would need to register with the Foreign Ministry before heading out to do their work. He asserted that the Foreign Ministry would develop its humanitarian work system and would be launching the Bayan “clarification” platform aimed at protecting charitable finances from being hacked by shady entities like terrorists and money launderers.
The Kuwaiti leadership had always tasked government entities to respond to disasters and humanitarian crises wherever they were, said Al-Mashaan who noted that the earthquake, which his Syria and Turkiye earlier this year, saw a swift response from the Kuwaiti side, which sent urgent aid upon direction from His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah Kuwait also responded to the humanitarian situation in Sudan, sending several planes laden with relief aid to the fellow Arab country witnessing armed strife.
Al-Mashaan affirmed that Kuwait — under the leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al- Jaber Al-Sabah — will continue to answer the call of those in need regionally and internationally. – KUNA
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