RIYADH — The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has commended the role of Islamic International Relief Organization-Saudi Arabia (IIROSA) for its humanitarian work in the Kingdom and the international arena. Peter Ford, representative of the UNRWA Commissioner General, said in his address at a celebration in honor of ambassadors accredited to the Kingdom in the Diplomatic Quarter on Wednesday night: “My agency has no hesitation in commending IIROSA to any other agency, partner, or country. “It is an important part of the network of humanitarian actors in Saudi Arabia. This network has made the Kingdom truly the kingdom of humanitarianism. “My own agency has been a major beneficiary of this largesse and we cannot thank the Kingdom enough.” He said UNRWA's main field of operation is Gaza, which has more than a million refugees. The organization tries to look after them through a network of more than 200 schools, 20 health centers, social services, and eight refugee camps. UNRWA has entered into a number of major joint ventures in humanitarian work with IIROSA related to Palestinian people in the area. He said: "One of UNRWA's most appreciated programs in Gaza is a job creation scheme. “In our first cooperation with IIROSA in 2008, it contributed $1 million to the program and this allowed us to create 1,399 short term jobs, much needed in an economy under illegal siege. “In our second Gaza collaboration IIROSA very quickly came forward with funds to enable us to buy about 50 generators. This was during the period of the Israeli attack on the city in 2009 to January 2010. “Most of the generators were given to schools, enabling education to continue at a time when their main electricity supplies were cut. “Our third collaboration will involve reequipping a health center in Gaza that we hope to get under way soon.” Warmly welcoming about 50 diplomats including ambassadors, Abdullah Al-Turki, secretary-general of the Muslim World League (MWL) and president of IIROSA, said the reception was organized to renew and strengthen communication in the progress of humanitarian cooperation and propagate the values of dialogue, understanding and co-existence among various human communities. "IIROSA, an affiliate of the MWL, was established in 1979 and since that time till now it has seen large variety and expansion in its activities and great development in its means and mechanism," he said. “The mission of IIROSA stems from the great noble mission of Islam that calls on us to do good deeds not only to Muslims, but to all humanity regardless of race, color, or religion” Dya-Eddin Bamakhrama, Djibouti ambassador and deputy dean of the diplomatic corps in the Kingdom, said in the concluding speech: "This distinguished honoring reception gives the opportunity to all to know or increase their knowledge of communication, mercy, sympathy, and cooperation among all people, the poor and rich, the strong and weak, the old and young. “It is a big goal pursued by IIROSA around the world, through its achievements, projects, and campaigns that have reached the remote deserts, jungles, valleys, and mountains by carrying assistance, donations, and grants to needy people.”
