Global perspective Human stories

Ban appoints Abdullah Al Matouq as Humanitarian Envoy for Kuwait

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
UN Photo/JC McIlwaine
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Ban appoints Abdullah Al Matouq as Humanitarian Envoy for Kuwait

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Abdullah Al Matouq of Kuwait to work closely with the United Nations humanitarian chief to build stronger partnerships in Kuwait and the Persian Gulf region.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Abdullah Al Matouq of Kuwait to work closely with the United Nations humanitarian chief to build stronger partnerships in Kuwait and the Persian Gulf region.

As the Humanitarian Envoy for Kuwait, Mr. Al Matouq will “ensure stronger linkages” between the UN and decision-makers in Kuwait and the region with the overall objective of supporting multilateral humanitarian response efforts, according to the announcement of his appointment.

This will be done by raising the awareness of the Kuwaiti Government and non-governmental organizations of humanitarian crises and increasing their engagement with the international humanitarian community.

Speaking at the Third Annual Conference on Humanitarian Partnerships and Information Sharing in the Arab World, held in September in Kuwait City, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos stressed that, working together, the UN and governments and organizations in the Persian Gulf region can make a difference to millions of people in need of assistance.

“I hope that we will continue to strengthen our relationships with governments and organizations in the Gulf region, and that you will continue to see OCHA [the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs] as a strong partner helping to make it easier for national organizations and international actors to join forces and maximize the impact of our response,” she stated.

That conference was held at the headquarters of the International Islamic Charitable Organization (IICO), of which Mr. Al Matouq is the Chairman of the Board. He is also an advisor in the Al-Diwan Al-Amiri of the State of Kuwait.

In addition to serving in a number of ministerial positions in the Kuwaiti Government, Mr. Al Matouq had a successful career in academia as a lecturer at the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training.