The delegation of the Islamic Organization for Food Security, headed by the Director General, H.E. Prof. Yerlan Baidaulet arrived in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to participate in the 3rd Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum (RIHF), organized by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (“KSrelief”), under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz. The first day of the forum launched on 20 February 2023, with a session on the Evolving Humanitarian landscape for 2023 and beyond.
Humanitarian leaders from international governmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as leading UN organizations, donors, practitioners, researchers, and others gathered from around the world at the 3rd RIHF to promote dialogue on legislative, informational, and logistical mechanisms for delivering humanitarian aid.
KSrelief organizes the RIHF every two years. The first forum was held in 2018 with 32 speakers, while the second was held in 2020 with the participation of 50 speakers and 100 organizations from around the globe. The forum continues to address the most pressing global humanitarian challenges and seeks innovative practical solutions in accordance with international humanitarian principles and standards and in line with the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). KSrelief has implemented 2,246 projects worth over $6 billion in 88 countries, in cooperation with 175 local, regional and international partners, since its inception in May 2015.
As leaders from around the world gathered at the RIHF, the Director General of IOFS held several fruitful meetings on the sidelines of the event. Prof. Yerlan Baidaulet met with the OIC Secretary General Ambassador Hissein Brahim Taha, and the Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian, Social and Cultural Affairs of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and Special Envoy of the OIC Secretary General for Afghanistan, Ambassador Tarig Ali Bakheet and shared the latest success of the IOFS and the plans of the organization for the near future. All IOFS initiatives were presented with the full support of the OIC, and the importance of the coordination of all activities were emphasized by the OIC Secretary General.
Bilateral meetings were also held with the Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Permanent Representative of the Kyrgyz Republic to the OIC, H.E. Ulukbek Maripov, and Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the OIC, H.E. Berik Aryn.
Furthermore, the Director General of the IOFS, Prof. Yerlan Baidaulet discussed bilateral cooperation of the IOFS with H.E. Mohammad Alsaati, Adviser to IsDB President and Head of the Afghanistan Humanitarian Trust Fund (AHTF). To conclude, a productive meeting was held with new Secretary-General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) H.E. Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi. The parties discussed the MoU signed between the IOFS and the Secretariat General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf on October 2022 and agreed to facilitate the fruitful cooperation between IOFS and all 6 Gulf Countries in the field of food security.
