Qatari Red Crescent Secretary General announces US$ 50,000 contribution to the UN Refugee Agency’s Winter Programme

BEIRUT, Lebanon (UNHCR) – The Qatari Red Crescent (QRC) today extended a generous contribution of US$ 50,000 to UN Refugee Agency’s (UNHCR) winter assistance programme. The contribution will allow QRC and UNHCR to engage in a joint distribution of much-needed fuel cards to nearly 1,000 Syrian refugee families residing in the border town of Arsal, northeast Lebanon.

The contribution was announced by QRC’s Secretary General, Mr. Saleh bin Ali Al-Mohannadi, during his meeting with UNHCR Lebanon’s Deputy Representative, Ms. Lynne Miller, as part of a field visit to Lebanon.

“We warmly welcome this latest contribution by the Qatari Red Crescent,” said Miller at the meeting, “winter assistance is one of the pillars of our programme in Lebanon, and this thoughtful contribution will allow us to yet again work hand-in-hand with QRC to target assistance where it is most needed.”

QRC and UNHCR have previously collaborated on providing winter assistance and health care to Syrian refugees in Lebanon. The organizations have provided fuel to hundreds of thousands of refugees and care to refugee children in critical need of hospitalization.

“The protracted nature of the Syrian crisis has led us to adapt our assistance programmes and expand our partnerships here in Lebanon,” said Mr. Al-Mohannadi during his meeting with Ms. Miller, “Our collaboration with UNHCR has been very fruitful so far and we hope to expand our work together in the near future.”

QRC and the State of Qatar have since 2014 provided more than US$ 20 million to UNHCR’s Syrian refugee assistance programmes.