Saudi Arabia is second globally in humanitarian aid and first to Yemen in 2025
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has further solidified its leading position as one of the world's major humanitarian capitals, achieving a new international milestone by ranking second globally and first in the Arab world among donor countries in providing humanitarian and relief aid for 2025. This ranking, according to data issued by the United Nations Financial Tracking Service (FTS), reflects the Kingdom's unwavering commitment to supporting affected populations and alleviating human suffering around the world.
Absolute leadership in supporting Yemen and Syria
UN reports have revealed that Saudi Arabia tops the list of countries providing humanitarian aid to Yemen, accounting for 49.3% of all international aid to the country. This underscores Riyadh's pivotal role in maintaining the humanitarian and economic stability of the Yemeni people. In a related development, the Kingdom also ranked second globally among donor countries providing aid to Syria, continuing its commitment to supporting fellow Arab nations during times of crisis.
Historical and institutional context of relief work
This achievement is not a recent development, but rather the culmination of a long history of Saudi generosity that began with the Kingdom's founding. This role was further strengthened institutionally and professionally with the establishment of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center in 2015, which became the Kingdom's humanitarian arm, unifying relief efforts to ensure aid reaches those in need with high efficiency. These efforts are in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which aims to enhance the Kingdom's international presence as a force for good and peace, as its aid has not been limited to the regional neighborhood but has extended to dozens of countries around the world without ethnic or religious discrimination.
International Development and Transparency Indicators
In terms of development aid, the Kingdom ranked second among non-member donor countries (16 countries) in the recently released 2024 report, and tenth globally among all 48 member and non-member donor countries. In this regard, Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah, Advisor at the Royal Court and Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, explained that these figures were accurately documented through the "Saudi Aid Platform," the largest platform of its kind in the region, ensuring high transparency and contributing to documenting Saudi efforts in international forums.
Continued commitment to leadership directives
Dr. Al-Rabeeah affirmed that the Kingdom's leading role in humanitarian efforts is a result of the unlimited support provided by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman – may God protect them both. He pointed out that this approach reflects the deeply rooted values of the Saudi people, based on generosity and benevolence, emphasizing that the Kingdom will remain an inexhaustible source of giving and a beacon of goodness, continuing to extend a helping hand to those in need and those afflicted by disasters across the globe, placing human dignity and life above all else.
