We, the heads of missions of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf in Korea, would like to refer to the article 'Silent Gulf States' and the cartoon published in The Korea Times on Sept. 11, 2015.
We find the article to be a demonstration of total misunderstanding of the Gulf States' humanitarian aid for the Syrian refugees, and in regards to the cartoon, we find no possible way to interpret it other than as a narrow-minded discriminatory portrayal of our people in the Gulf states.
Contrary to the article and cartoon's claims, the following are facts regarding the consistent assistance and support provided by the Gulf states to the Syrian refugees ever since the outbreak of the civil war:
― Saudi Arabia has received around 2.5 million Syrians since the start of the civil war.
― Syrians who wish to remain in Saudi Arabia (some hundreds of thousands) have been given legal residency status, which includes the rights to receive free medical care, to join the labor market and to attend schools and universities.
― Saudi Arabia has provided $700 million in aid to the Syrian people.
― Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, the United Arab Emirates has welcomed more than 100,000 Syrians, joining 140,000 already residing in the Emirates and has provided more than $530 million in direct aid, mainly through the Syria Recovery Trust Fund.
― The U.A.E. is funding the Mrajeeb Al Fhood refugee camp in Jordan, home to more than 4,000 Syrian refugees, and has contributed $72 million more to support the refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey.
― Kuwait has been the host for all three International Pledging Conferences for Syria in 2013, 2014 and 2015, during which it pledged $300 million, $500 million and $500 million, respectively.
― Data from the Financial Tracking Service (database managed by the UN OCHA) indicates:
1) Kuwait donated over $1.3 billion.
2) Saudi Arabia donated over $700 million.
3) The U.A.E. donated over $700 million.
4) Qatar donated over $1.22 billion.
which makes them all in the top 10 highest contributors to humanitarian effort in Syria since 2011, most notably Kuwait being the world's third largest donor.
5) Oman donated over $23 million.
6) Bahrain donated over $26 million.
The GCC states, at 136th Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Ministerial Council, which was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 15 September 2015, called on the international community to shoulder its responsibility in supporting refugees from Syria, and noted the assistance provided by the GCC states in alleviating the human suffering of displaced persons and refugees of the Syrian crisis caused by Bashar al-Assad's regime. Along with that, the Council confirmed that the sibling Syrians have been treated as residents in the GCC states, as they enjoy full rights of free healthcare, education and work, according to the applied residence system in the GCC states. In addition, the Ministerial Council has commended the leadership role and material support provided by the GCC states to their refugee Syrian brothers in Jordan, Lebanon and others through coordination with the governments of their host countries or international humanitarian relief organizations, along with the GCC states' initiatives to hold international conferences and mobilize resources for humanitarian actions in Syria.
Therefore, we find the abovementioned article's usage of inaccurate comparisons, exaggerated statements along with the sub-standard cartoon poking fun at the Gulf states both unjustifiable and unfair.
The heads of missions of the GCC states in Korea would appreciate it if the esteemed editor would publish this statement in the same place where it published the abovementioned article and cartoon.
H.E. Abdulla ALROMAITHI
Ambassador to the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates
H.E. Jasem ALBUDAIWI
Ambassador to the Embassy of the State of Kuwait
H.E. Mohamed Abdulla AL-DEHAIMI
Ambassador to the Embassy of the State of Qatar
Mr. Fahad ALMUTAIRI
Charge d'Affaires a.i. to the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
We find the article to be a demonstration of total misunderstanding of the Gulf States' humanitarian aid for the Syrian refugees, and in regards to the cartoon, we find no possible way to interpret it other than as a narrow-minded discriminatory portrayal of our people in the Gulf states.
Contrary to the article and cartoon's claims, the following are facts regarding the consistent assistance and support provided by the Gulf states to the Syrian refugees ever since the outbreak of the civil war:
― Saudi Arabia has received around 2.5 million Syrians since the start of the civil war.
― Syrians who wish to remain in Saudi Arabia (some hundreds of thousands) have been given legal residency status, which includes the rights to receive free medical care, to join the labor market and to attend schools and universities.
― Saudi Arabia has provided $700 million in aid to the Syrian people.
― Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, the United Arab Emirates has welcomed more than 100,000 Syrians, joining 140,000 already residing in the Emirates and has provided more than $530 million in direct aid, mainly through the Syria Recovery Trust Fund.
― The U.A.E. is funding the Mrajeeb Al Fhood refugee camp in Jordan, home to more than 4,000 Syrian refugees, and has contributed $72 million more to support the refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey.
― Kuwait has been the host for all three International Pledging Conferences for Syria in 2013, 2014 and 2015, during which it pledged $300 million, $500 million and $500 million, respectively.
― Data from the Financial Tracking Service (database managed by the UN OCHA) indicates:
1) Kuwait donated over $1.3 billion.
2) Saudi Arabia donated over $700 million.
3) The U.A.E. donated over $700 million.
4) Qatar donated over $1.22 billion.
which makes them all in the top 10 highest contributors to humanitarian effort in Syria since 2011, most notably Kuwait being the world's third largest donor.
5) Oman donated over $23 million.
6) Bahrain donated over $26 million.
The GCC states, at 136th Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Ministerial Council, which was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 15 September 2015, called on the international community to shoulder its responsibility in supporting refugees from Syria, and noted the assistance provided by the GCC states in alleviating the human suffering of displaced persons and refugees of the Syrian crisis caused by Bashar al-Assad's regime. Along with that, the Council confirmed that the sibling Syrians have been treated as residents in the GCC states, as they enjoy full rights of free healthcare, education and work, according to the applied residence system in the GCC states. In addition, the Ministerial Council has commended the leadership role and material support provided by the GCC states to their refugee Syrian brothers in Jordan, Lebanon and others through coordination with the governments of their host countries or international humanitarian relief organizations, along with the GCC states' initiatives to hold international conferences and mobilize resources for humanitarian actions in Syria.
Therefore, we find the abovementioned article's usage of inaccurate comparisons, exaggerated statements along with the sub-standard cartoon poking fun at the Gulf states both unjustifiable and unfair.
The heads of missions of the GCC states in Korea would appreciate it if the esteemed editor would publish this statement in the same place where it published the abovementioned article and cartoon.
H.E. Abdulla ALROMAITHI
Ambassador to the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates
H.E. Jasem ALBUDAIWI
Ambassador to the Embassy of the State of Kuwait
H.E. Mohamed Abdulla AL-DEHAIMI
Ambassador to the Embassy of the State of Qatar
Mr. Fahad ALMUTAIRI
Charge d'Affaires a.i. to the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
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