Doha, March 05 (QNA) – Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) signed Sunday a memorandum of understanding for strategic cooperation in international development and humanitarian aid on the sidelines of the Fifth UN Least Developed Countries Conference (LDC 5) in Doha.

This MoU will focus on addressing several pressing matters that are a common interest to QFFD and FCDO.

These include climate change, food security, and ensuring quality education for all with a focus on women and girls. Other priority sectors under the MoU are the Horn of Africa, as well as development and humanitarian aid in Afghanistan and humanitarian responses to regional crisis such as Yemen and Syria. The MoU builds on the outcomes of the inaugural UK-Qatar Strategic Dialogue, held in London on 20 February.

HE Khalifa Al Kuwari, Director General of QFFD, said: “We are aware of the importance of improving the developmental and humanitarian fields globally, where there is a constant need. Crises such as wars, diseases, and natural disasters, leave people in front of a painful reality without solutions; in the suffering, they face the constant difficulties of poverty, hunger, and violence. Today we are cooperating with the FCDO, mobilizing efforts to bring change and improve humanity through quality projects looking for solid and effective solutions.,” HE Andrew Mitchell, Minister of State (Development and Africa), said: The UK and Qatar are both important humanitarian and development actors. Today’s agreement signals our intent to combine forces in areas of overlapping interest. Together, we can build on our existing partnerships in Somalia and Syria and press on with further joint programmes.” (QNA)

Source: Qatar News Agency