IICO: 70 organizations, will partake next Monday in NGOs humanitarian conf.

KUWAIT, Feb 7 (KUNA) -- The International Islamic Charity Organization (IICO) announced Wednesday participation of 70 humanitarian organizations, including 30 regional and international agencies, 25 from Iraq and 15 Kuwaiti organizations, at the NGO Conference to Support the Humanitarian Situation in Iraq scheduled next Monday.
Chairman of the Higher Committee and IICO Director General Bader Al-Sumait made the remarks in a news conference on Wednesday.
Al-Sumait announced readiness to host the conference of non-governmental organizations to support the humanitarian situation in Iraq, and the reconstruction of Iraq conference, which will be hosted in Kuwait next week.
Al-Sumait added that supporting the humanitarian situation in Iraq comes within the framework of Kuwait's pioneering humanitarian stance, which is reflected in its hosting the Kuwait International Conference for the Reconstruction of Iraq (KICRI) during the same week, and under the patronage and leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
The conference on providing humanitarian support aims at easing the suffering and healing the wounds of Iraqi victims, without discrimination based on race, religion or any other considerations, only consistent with its principles, human and moral values.
Al-Sumait pointed out that the Kuwaiti Cabinet has entrusted IICO to organize the conference, noting as well that IICO has formed a higher committee to prepare for the conference and established a number of administrative and logistics teams.
IICO chief noted also that his organization has also coordinated efforts with the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) along with the Iraqi officials, to ensure the success of the conference and achieve its humanitarian goals.
Al-Sumait pointed out that the International Islamic Charitable Organization has sent invitations to more than 100 local, regional and international organizations and many leading figures and active international organizations in the humanitarian field, in addition to the conference' agenda, its vision and objectives, indicating that the response so far is great and exceeds expectations, which are important indicators regarding the conference.
Al-Sumait said that among prominent entities participating in the conference are the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and many other international organizations.
Al-Sumait added that GCC organizations participating in the conference are the International Islamic Relief Organization in Jeddah, the Royal Foundation of Bahrain, the Qatar Charity Association, as well as Kuwaiti charitable societies, the Kuwaiti Red Crescent, the Turkish Iraq, Qatar, and Bahrain Red Crescents.
Al-Sumait pointed out that the aim of the conference is to have an active humanitarian assistance, basic needs in the affected areas in Iraq, and activate efforts of local, regional and international humanitarian organizations to implement their programs and projects in Iraq.
He stressed that the International Islamic Charitable Organization looks forward to the conference as a humanitarian platform to collect and activate local, regional, and international humanitarian aid, and to fully comprehend the humanitarian situation in Iraq, including announcing pledges and contributions in support of the humanitarian situation in the affected areas of Iraq.
Al-Sumait said that the conference is expected to witness a number of meetings during which prominent figures that work in the humanitarian field, at home and abroad to share and talk about the humanitarian situation in Iraq, exchange experiences of some organizations in the relief of the affected and the basic needs of the millions of displaced Iraqis.
With regard to follow-up mechanism after the conference, Al-Sumait said that IICO is scheduled to issue periodic reports on implementation of the pledges, and they have called upon participating organizations to provide the committee with quarterly reports on its humanitarian programs to be implemented in Iraq during the year 2018. (end) amn.mb