Qatar | Global Focus

Qatar’s strong partnership with UNHCR has shown significant and steady growth in recent years.

Qatar’s strong partnership with UNHCR has shown significant and steady growth in recent years. Through financial contributions and engagement, Qatar provides vital support, both for emergency programming and in ensuring UNHCR can provide essential services and meet the needs of displaced people. Qatar’s recent multi-year and unearmarked contribution provides UNHCR with a predictable and flexible source of funding, enabling UNHCR to support those in greatest need and to kick-start emergency responses.

With a focus on shelter, health, livelihoods, education and cash-based assistance, Qatar enables continued humanitarian response in both the Middle East and North Africa, and Asia and the Pacific regions, particularly to the Syrian and Rohingya refugee crises. Qatari funding shows a strong link to Islamic philanthropy as evidenced by, in 2019, Sheikh Thani Bin Abdullah Bin Thani Al-Thani becoming UNHCR’s largest individual donor with a contribution from zakat through the Thani Bin Abdullah Bin Thani Al-Thani Humanitarian Fund. UNHCR has a long-standing strategic relationship with the State of Qatar and its entities, including the Qatar Fund for Development, Education Above All, Qatar Charity, Silatech, Eid Charity and Qatar Red Crescent.

Previous Pause Next

A UNHCR staff member speaks to a young mother on the border between Venezuela and Colombia..

Millions of people have fled Venezuela in search of safety and security in neighbouring countries. In emergencies, UNHCR relies on unearmarked funding to kick-start responses, ensuring vulnerable families are supported from the outset.

A Rohingya girl holds up a drawing at a UNHCR supported learning center in south-eastern Bangladesh.

Around the world there are some 3.7 million refugee children out of school. Education is a fundamental human right and empowers refugee children by giving them the knowledge and skills to live productive and independent lives. In Bangladesh, children face many hurdles in accessing quality education, with a lack of facilities, teachers and materials. UNHCR and partners operate learning centers and run informal classes in Rohingya settlements.

©UNHCR/ Caroline Gluck

In Mbera camp, Mauritania, Fatimetou (27) is learning construction skills.

Fatimetou (on the left) fled from Mali to Mauritania with her two daughters in 2012. Lacking a basic education, she is one of many displaced women learning the skills of construction and hopes to find a job following her training. UNHCR’s response in Mauritania is underfunded and relies heavily on flexible contributions such as those from donors like Qatar. With this flexibility, UNHCR can invest in education projects, making a real difference to mothers like Fatimetou.

Saleh warms the hands of his children around the stove in their home.

Saleh fled the war in Syria with his wife Amal and three young children, seeking shelter in neighbouring Lebanon. Winter brings additional expenses for Saleh, including heating, health care and warm clothing. In 2019, Qatar’s contribution of $8 million in unearmarked funds was vital for UNHCR’s response to emergency situations like Lebanon.

See more contribution data

Search form