ISLAMIC DEVELOPMENT BANK GROUP, ISLAMIC RELIEF FORGE PARTNERSHIP FOR REFUGEES

Thu 22 May 2025:

The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group and humanitarian aid foundation Islamic Relief’s US branch Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA) have partnered to support the Global Islamic Fund for Refugees (GIFR).

As part of the IsDB’s annual meeting in the Algerian capital Algiers, the two institutions signed an agreement Wednesday to provide sustainable aid and empowerment to refugees and displaced populations worldwide.

It was signed by Adil Alsharif, the director general of the IsDB’s Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD), and Ahmed Shehata, CEO of IRUSA.

The deal is expected to expand the growing momentum of the GIFR, which is a unique fund designed based on Islamic rules to provide sustainable financial support to refugees and displaced people, especially in IsDB member countries.

Its pilot intervention, under the name of the Regional Emergency Response Initiative for Sudanese Refugees, demonstrates its commitment to addressing pressing crises with targeted, impactful programs.

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IRUSA’s contribution is expected to further bolster funding for programs that enhance access to education, water, sanitation, shelter and other critical services for those affected by forced displacement.

As of May 2024, over 120 million people are forcibly displaced worldwide, with nearly 43.4 million classified as refugees, many of whom are Muslims fleeing conflict, persecution, or violence.

The largest refugee crises stem from Muslim-majority countries like Syria (6.25 million refugees), Afghanistan (6.05 million), and Sudan (1.77 million). About 70% of global refugees originate from Muslim-majority nations, driven by wars, instability, or human rights abuses, often in regions destabilized by external interventions.

Most refugees, 69%, stay in neighboring low- or middle-income countries like Türkiye (3.3 million), Iran (3.8 million), and Jordan (1.3 million), with only 24% hosted by wealthier nations. For example, Syrian refugees alone make up a significant portion, with 3.5 million in Türkiye and 784,900 in Lebanon.

Challenges include limited access to education (only 37% of refugee children attend secondary school), healthcare, and jobs, compounded by statelessness for groups like the Rohingya (1.2 million). Despite global solidarity, resettlement needs far exceed available solutions, with 2.4 million refugees needing resettlement in 2024.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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