January 10, 2013, Vienna, Austria. An OFID delegation has participated in the inauguration of the Roseires dam, which lies on the Blue Nile some 550 km southeast of the Sudanese capital Khartoum. Sudan’s President Omar Al-Bashir inaugurated the newly-expanded dam, which now holds 7.4 billion m3 of water - double its former capacity. At the event, President Al-Bashir awarded OFID the Order of the Two Niles, First Degree, in appreciation of the institution’s long-standing cooperation with his country.

Vienna, Austria, November 21, 2012.

The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) has approved a US$500,000 grant in humanitarian aid in support of Palestinian communities affected by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The grant, which will be channelled through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), will be used for the provision of essential food and medical supplies to address immediate needs and help alleviate the suffering resulting from the deteriorating humanitarian conditions of the population.

Vienna, Austria, September 12, 2012. The Governing Board of the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID), meeting in its 140th Session, has approved 12 loans and grants totaling over US$201 million to boost socio-economic development in 29 partner countries. The bulk of the funding will co-finance projects aimed at combating energy poverty, followed by loans to help bolster the agriculture, education, health and transportation sectors of the recipient countries. The loans are as follows:

Bangladesh US$30.0m

On July 9, OFID signed four public sector loan agreements with The Gambia, DR Congo and Bangladesh to help fund projects aimed at helping fight energy poverty, enhance food security and provide health services to underserved communities. The agreements were signed by OFID Director-general, Mr. Suleiman J. Al-Herbish and HE Abdou Kolley, Minister of Finance & Economic Affairs of The Gambia; HE Mr. Mosud Mannan, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Germany; and, HE Mr. Roger Shulungu Runika, Vice Minister of Finance of DR Congo.

OFID Annual Report highlights ongoing commitment to development

Seefeld, Austria, June 15, 2012

The Director-General of the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID), Mr. Suleiman J. Al-Herbish, today officially announced that the OFID Annual Award for Development, 2012, will go to the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs and its Ex-Detainees Rehabilitation Program (EDRP). The Award will be presented at the forthcoming 33rd Annual Session of the Ministerial Council of OFID to be held in Austria, June 14. The Palestinian Minister of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, HE Mr. Issa Ahmed Abelhamid Qaraqe, will receive the Award.

Busan Forum discusses Aid Effectiveness

Busan, Korea, November 29, 2011. Arab Funds attending the 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan, Korea, have issued a Statement on the resolve of the Funds to renew their commitment to harmonious international cooperation.

The Governing Board of the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID), meeting in its 135th Session, has approved over US$56 million in loans and US$6 million in grants to address Africa’s needs. The funds will be allocated to the energy, transportation, agriculture, health and financial sectors.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Haruhiko Kuroda and the Director-General of the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) Suleiman Jasir Al-Herbish today signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will expand the existing cooperation between the two organizations.

The agreement was signed during the 44th Annual Meeting of the ADB’s Board of Governors, which runs from 3 May to 6 May in Ha Noi, Viet Nam.