Washington DC, 25 April 2025 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) signed two agreements to support improved access to clean water in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the Republic of Sudan.

The two agreements, worth US$ 2 million each, were signed by Abdallah Al Dardari, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Arab States, and Waleed Shamlan Al-Bahar, Acting Director-General of the Kuwait Fund for Development.

This collaboration comes at a time when both Gaza and Sudan are facing some of the world’s most acute humanitarian crises. In both contexts, access to safe water remains a critical challenge, directly impacting public health, livelihoods, and stability.

“The collaboration agreements that we signed today with the Kuwait Fund do not only represent a response to urgent needs. They signify a reaffirmation of our shared commitment to investing in human dignity and resilience,” stated Abdallah Al Dardari, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Arab States, UNDP. “Together, we are ensuring that communities in Gaza and Sudan have access to one of the most basic and essential rights—clean and safe water.”

UNDP’s Resident Representative in Kuwait, Emma Morley, expressed her appreciation to Kuwait Fund for its continued partnership and generous contributions. “Kuwait Fund’s support is helping address urgent humanitarian needs while advancing long-term sustainable development in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions” she noted. “This partnership is a testament to the State of Kuwait’s strong commitment to shared development values.”

Waleed Shamlan Al-Bahar, Acting Director-General of the Kuwait Fund for Development, stated: "these two agreements embody the strong strategic partnership between the Kuwait Fund for Development and the United Nations Development Programme and reflect our shared commitment to providing humanitarian and development support to the most needy communities. I would like to point out here that these grants are not the first of their kind, as the Fund has provided approximately USD 12.6 million since 2013 to finance 5 humanitarian projects for the Programme in various regions. The signing of these two agreements at this time underscores the pioneering role of the State of Kuwait and the Kuwait Fund for Development in responding to humanitarian crises and providing the necessary support to achieve sustainable and comprehensive development in various parts of the world."

The signature of these agreements reinforces the deep and longstanding partnership between UNDP and the Kuwait Fund and reflects their shared commitment to promoting resilience and sustainable development in crisis-affected regions.

For more information:

Florian Lhabitant, Parternship Officer, UNDP (Kuwait), +965 9856 9894, florian.lhabitant@undp.org

About UNDP:

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build   integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.