KSrelief donated dates to WFP to support Rohingya children sheltering in Bangladesh. Photo: Collected

DHAKA, May 22, 2025 (BSS) - Saudi Arabia, through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), has donated 667 metric tonnes of dates to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to support Rohingya children sheltering in Bangladesh.

At a handover ceremony held in Dhaka today, officials from the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, KSrelief and WFP marked this contribution, said a press release here.

The dates will offer much-needed nourishment to Rohingya children attending learning centres as part of WFP's school feeding programme, which supports 250,000 children going to 3,500 learning centres in both Cox's Bazar and Bhasan Char.

WFP said it urgently requires 106 million US dollars for its critical Rohingya operations over the next 12 months.

Of these, 83 million US dollars are required to maintain full rations for the entire Rohingya population in Bangladesh.

Saudi Arabia's contribution comes at a critical time. In March, a funding crisis nearly forced WFP to reduce rations by half starting in April.

"We are proud to stand with the Rohingya people and to support WFP's efforts to deliver vital food assistance," said, the Charg‚ d'Affaires of the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Dhaka, Abdulaziz Fahad M. Al Ibrahim.

"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through KSrelief, reaffirms its commitment to humanitarian principles and to helping vulnerable communities around the world."

"Providing nutritious food to Rohingya children is essential not only for their health, but for their hope and dignity," said Dom Scalpelli, WFP Bangladesh Country Director.

"The Rohingya crisis remains one of the world's most urgent humanitarian emergencies, and continued international solidarity is critical to sustaining lifesaving assistance," he added.

Saudi Arabia has been a longstanding supporter of WFP's humanitarian efforts for the Rohingya since 2017, providing both cash and in-kind contributions to sustain food assistance in one of the world's largest refugee operations.