The Gulf Time Newspaper One of the finest business newspapers in the UAE brought to you by our professional writers and editors.
Jeddah / Tribune News Service
Saudi Arabia is a key partner in international development and among the world’s top donors as the provision of external assistance and donations are major aspects of its foreign policy.
In a speech delivered at the Human Rights Council by Faisal bin Trad, Saudi ambassador to the UN, in Geneva, said that the Kingdom is keen to proceed with its policy of providing assistance to many Islamic and non-Islamic countries.
He said the total aid Saudi Arabia provided for developing countries from 1973 to 2009 amounted to $99.75 billion,
surpassing the UN targeted rate of development aid worth 0.7 percent out of
the gross domestic product of donor countries.
During a dialogue session held by the Human Rights Council with the UN rapporteur in charge of poverty and human rights Phillipe Altson, Trad said Saudi Arabia pays great attention to combating poverty and achieving a reasonable living level at both domestic and foreign levels.
He said the Social Insurance Act has endorsed Article 3, which states the rights of obtaining a monthly bursary for the orphans, disabled and elders who have no sponsors, unsponsored families and those with unknown parents aging above 18.
More than 875,000 families in the Kingdom, he said, will benefit from the services of social insurance, bringing over SR1,150,000,000 monthly the amount paid by the government to needy ones.
He said the social security system has given under Article (13) the Minister of Labor and Social Development the power to disburse cash assistance of up to SR30,000 per beneficiary he sees it deserves. The ministry also provides aid for individual emergencies (such as flood damages, fire or natural disaster) that require speedy help after examining their condition from all sides, he stressed.
It has also implemented a number of support programs to help the beneficiaries of social security. These programs “security assistance to cases in the program, and spending more than SR709,616,133 per month.
There are also the furniture program for housing beneficiaries with the ministry spending more than SR6.001.428 per month for school uniforms and school bag and it spent, quarterly, over SR35,215,680, in coordination with the Ministry of Education, he pointed out.
In recognition of the importance of addressing poverty and consequent negative implications that affect family’s ability to meet child’s right to life development and education and to provide the basic needs of food, clothing, shelter, health care, continue to study, in addition to acquisition of reading and writing, the Kingdom has taken steps and effective measures for eradication of poverty, at all levels, Ambassador Trad said.
The Kingdom has forged a national strategy for social development adopted by the Ministry of Labor and social
development.