Kuwait – December 8, 2024
The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) signed a Grant Agreement with the World Health Organization (WHO) on December 8, 2024. Under this agreement, the Fund will provide a grant of USD 5.0 million to support the Expanded Special Project for the Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases for the period 2024–2028.
The Grant Agreement was signed on behalf of KFAED by Mr. Waleed Sh. Al-Bahar, Acting Director General, and on behalf of WHO by Dr. Assad Hafeez, WHO Representative to the State of Kuwait.
The project aims to control and eliminate a group of neglected tropical diseases, covering approximately 47 African countries suffering from one or more of these diseases. It will directly benefit more than 400 million people annually, providing around 750 million tablets of medicine per year. These medicines will be supplied free of charge by pharmaceutical companies, based on the project’s requirements. The World Health Organization will oversee the technical supervision and financial management of the project through its regional office in Africa.
This grant marks the ninth collaboration of its kind between KFAED and WHO in the field of humanitarian support. Since 1994, KFAED has provided approximately USD 20 million to WHO to finance eight projects. The most recent project, “Sustaining Life-Saving Health Services in Priority Governorates” in the Republic of Yemen, concluded on April 21, 2022, with a grant of USD 3.0 million.
About the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development
The Kuwait Fund For Arab Economic Development is the first institution in the Middle East that took an active role in the international development efforts.
The Kuwait Fund extends Loans on concessionary term to finance development projects in the developing countries. The Fund also provides technical assistance to finance the costs of the feasibility studies of projects, as well as the training of nationals of the borrowing countries. In addition, the Fund subscribes in the capital of international and regional development institutions. Today, the Kuwait Fund forms a solid bridge of friendship and solidarity between the state of Kuwait and the developing nations.
For more information: www.kuwait-fund.org