DOHA: Qatar Red Crescent (QRC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with its Afghan counterpart to carry out relief and developmental projects to support the disadvantaged and disaster-stricken parts of the country.
The MoU aims at alleviating the suffering of those affected by the war and natural disasters, through delivery of urgent humanitarian aid, reconstruction, rehabilitation of the dilapidated infrastructure, contribution to the development process, and provision of basic public services such as clean drinking water, healthcare, and other necessities of life, QRC said yesterday.
It also enables QRC to build the capacities of its Afghan peer on site or at branches in target areas through training and exchange of experience.
Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) will provide logistic support, including transportation, storage, accommodation, workforce, etc. They will also help secure access to target areas for executing teams and take part in implementation of some projects.
QRC Secretary-General, Saleh bin Ali Al Mohannadi, described the partnership as a positive step that will serve as a legal basis for larger-scale QRC relief and developmental efforts in Afghanistan.
“We are keen to expand our projects in Afghanistan and augment services provided for the Afghan people, who have for long been experiencing successive wars and deadly calamities such as drought, floods, earthquakes and landslides,” he added.
During a ceremony held by ARCS to commemorate its anniversary, its President, Fatima Gailani, welcomed the opening of a QRC office in Afghanistan.
ARCS Secretary-General, Muhammad Naim Dindar, praised the initiative in parliament and at the meeting with senior officials from International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Following the signing, Dindar said, “We are happy that our brothers in Qatar are aware of our pains and feel the needs of their brothers in Afghanistan. We look forward to working together to mitigate the suffering of the distressed and ensure a good standard of living for the needy.”
QRC is undertaking endeavours in response to the flash floods and double landslide that swept several parts of the country last month. Arrangements are made to distribute food and non-food aid worth $207,000 to the badly hit communities and implement development projects such as digging water wells, installing water networks, launching environment and health awareness campaigns, and building housing units for poor families.
The Peninsula
