Officials and experts in the humanitarian, relief, and health sector will discuss next week in Riyadh the link between humanitarian and development work and innovative human intervention in the health field, including the outbreak of the new Coronavirus.
Under the patronage of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center will organize the 2nd Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum on March 1-2, 2020, with the participation of experts and leaders in the humanitarian world to discuss the challenges, improve knowledge, and issue recommendations for action.
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Dr. Aqeel Al-Ghamdi, assistant General Supervisor for Planning and Development at KSRelief and head of the RIHF supervisory committee, said that the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO) would be among the speakers at the main session, adding: “There is a special session for infectious diseases. I think the new Coronavirus will be tackled, especially as it is a recent disease and the international community is very much concerned.”
Ghamdi noted that the forum will host around 1,280 people representing 80 countries, 21 international organizations, and 46 governmental organizations, including officials and heads of international humanitarian bodies, representatives of civil society institutions, NGOs, the private sector, in addition to 11 universities and specialized research groups.
“Humanitarian initiatives will be reviewed and modified to reflect the latest developments on the ground in order and to improve the level of services and assistance provided to victims of natural disasters and conflicts, including refugees and other groups who need urgent assistance,” he remarked.
