Doha, Qatar: A high-level delegation from Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) visited Syria to sign a strategic cooperation agreement with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent Society (SARCS) and open a QRCS representation office in Damascus.
This step is aimed at scaling up bilateral humanitarian partnership and expand relief and development work in Syria, previously undertaken by QRCS’s representation office in Türkiye.
QRCS’s delegation comprised President of QRCS Yousef bin Ali Al-Khater, Treasurer Ebrahim Abdulla Ali Al-Abdulla, Acting Secretary-General Abdullah Sultan Al-Qattan, Assistant Secretary-General for Relief and International Development Mohamed Bader Al-Sada, and Advisor to President Ramadan Al-Mousel.
At the headquarters of SARCS, they were received by President of SARCS Dr. Mohamed Hazem Baqleh; Secretary-General Raya Ramadan, and several officials from the host National Society.
During the visit, a meeting was held with the Syrian side to address various areas of humanitarian, relief, and development cooperation. The participants also discussed ways to develop the existing bilateral partnership, effort coordination, response to humanitarian needs, and opportunities to launch joint programmes/projects in the upcoming period.
In the presence of Ambassador of Qatar to Syria H E Khalifa bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud Al-Sharif and Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Dr. Hossam Al-Sharkawi, QRCS and SARCS signed a cooperation agreement, to establish a legal framework for working closer together, sharing experience and information, coordinating humanitarian programmes/projects, and responding to emergencies and disasters.
In his remarks, Al-Khater described the agreement as a new step of QRCS-SARCS humanitarian work, inspired by the historical ties between the peoples of Qatar and Syria and the mutual understanding between the leaders of the two countries, at a critical juncture that requires concerted efforts and mobilized support to overcome challenges and meet the needs of the Syrian people.
“Syria has always been a top priority for us in Qatar, as well as in QRCS’s operational strategy,” added Al-Khater. “Ten years ago, Amir
H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, ordered that Qatar’s National Day celebrations be transformed into a public campaign in solidarity with the people of Syria, under the slogan ‘Aleppo, We Are Here for You.’ QRCS was a main contributor to that drive”.
Dr. Baqleh commented, “This agreement is a testimony to our shared commitment to humanitarian action. It reflects our unified vision of transitioning to sustainable development work that facilitates early recovery, through the rehabilitation of infrastructure, economic empowerment of families, and backing of the health sector. At the same time, we will continue to provide relief aid, given the large number of Syrian families who are desperate for assistance to secure their basic humanitarian needs”.
