Doha, Qatar: Qatar Airways and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have extended their partnership for another two years to aid in the transportation of relief items to vulnerable refugees and internally displaced people worldwide.
The agreement, signed yesterday in Doha, will remain in effect until 2025, and marks the third extension of the collaboration, which was first established in May 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
The signing ceremony took place between Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al Meer, and UNHCR High Commissioner, Filippo Grandi. Also present were UNHCR’s Representative to Qatar, Ahmed Mohsen, and Qatar Airways Chief Cargo Officer, Mark Drusch.
In his remarks, Engr. Al Meer announced that Qatar Airways would provide 400 tonnes of free tonnage to UNHCR to assist in the delivery of essential aid supplies to those in need. The airline will utilise its hub-and-spoke network out of Hamad International Airport, recently named the ‘World’s Best Airport’ at the Skytrax Airport Awards.
He highlighted the capabilities of the airline’s cargo division, the world’s largest global air cargo operator, with a fleet of 28 freighters and access to over 200 passenger aircraft, serving a network of 70 freighter destinations and over 170 belly-hold destinations.
Moreover, he stressed that the agreement demonstrates Qatar Airways Group’s “continued dedication to those who are most in need.”
“By working with Qatar Airways, the UNHCR has a wide access to deliver life-saving support including water, medical care and hygiene materials to keep refugees, internationally displaced people and communities safe around the world. We are committed to making a difference and by working together, we are confident, we can make a difference.”
Grandi expressed gratitude for the renewal of the partnership, stating: “We are grateful that we are renewing our partnership which has already proven very useful and very important, and I’m happy that through this renewal, we will have additional support from Qatar Airways in helping millions of refugees around the world.”
He stressed the vast scale of UNHCR’s operations, stating: “UNHCR deals with a very large population of refugees, displaced people, and stateless people.”
The UN refugee chief also revealed that the latest count of displaced individuals is at 114 million worldwide, but with ongoing global crises, this number is likely to increase as they are about to release a report in June. “Qatar is a strong supporter of UNHCR, both the State of Qatar, government institutions and its civil society and its companies, so the support we get from Qatar is a little bit across different categories and it’s extremely welcome on our side.”
The UN refugee chief added: “This plane on the table is also symbolic because so much of what we do requires the type of logistics that you can make available to us, this is a unique arrangement, I don’t think we have it with other airline in any part of the world, so we’re very proud with partnering with you.”
Grandi thanked Qatar Airways for its support in bringing visibility to often forgotten and neglected crises.
“Be assured that we value this enormously and we would make the best of this arrangement that perhaps in the future we can expand this further. Be proud of supporting some of the most unfortunate marginalised people in the world that really need your attention.”
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