Qatar Airways and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, announced the renewal of their existing partnership to support the shipment of relief items to the most vulnerable refugees and internally displaced people worldwide. 

The agreement was signed during a signing ceremony which included a speech by Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Filippo Grandi, in the presence of the UNHCR’s Representative to the State of Qatar, Mr. Ahmed Mohsen, and Qatar Airways, Chief Cargo Officer, Mark Drusch.

Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer announced the two-year renewal of the partnership between Qatar Airways Group and UNHCR to provide humanitarian relief and assistance to those globally displaced. For the past two years, Qatar Airways Cargo has been working closely with UNHCR to help provide humanitarian aid to better the lives of people worldwide. With this partnership, Qatar Airways will provide another 400 tonnes of free tonnage to UNHCR to help support them in the delivery of crucial aid supplies to those most in need.

To meet these goals, the award-winning airline utilises the airline’s hub-and-spoke network out of Hamad International Airport, which was once again voted the ‘World’s Best Airport’ at the Skytrax Airport Awards this year. Additionally, the airline’s cargo division, which is the largest global air cargo operator in the world, has a robust fleet of 28 freighters with access to utilize a passenger fleet of over 200 aircraft, to a network of 70 freighter destinations and over 170 belly-hold destinations.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, stated: “We are proud of what we have accomplished through our relationship with UNHCR over the past four years, which has helped support displaced communities around the world.” He added: “We look forward to the significant renewal of our partnership and in continuing to aid those who are most vulnerable. Qatar Airways Group is committed to fulfilling its humanitarian role by helping refugees and internally displaced people worldwide.”

Ahmed Mohsen, UNHCR’s Representative to the State of Qatar expressed his appreciation for the strategic humanitarian partnership with Qatar Airways and stated: “We highly appreciate this vital partnership and are proud to renew it for two additional years, which reflects Qatar Airways’ solid commitment towards supporting our humanitarian efforts, in terms of delivering essential relief items to those most in need.”

In addition, he praised Qatar Airway’s dedication over the past years, and said: “Since establishing our partnership with Qatar Airways in May 2020, amid a critical time during the emergence of Covid-19, Qatar Airways has lent us a helping hand to support refugees and displaced communities with vital relief items and medical supplies.”

By working with Qatar Airways, UNHCR has wide access to deliver life-saving support including water, medical care and hygiene materials to keep refugees, internally displaced people, and host community members safe around the world.