HIGHLIGHTS

• The USG announces $155 million in additional humanitarian assistance for the Syria response.
• International donors pledge $1.5 billion in humanitarian assistance for the Syria crisis.
• U.S. delegation attends donor pledging conference in Kuwait on January 30.

KUWAIT CITY, 20 September 2012 (IRIN) - When Khalid Al-Yahya set out to track how much money Gulf countries have given in aid, he knew it would not be easy.

"It is almost impossible for a lot of people to have access to this," the director of the Arab Public Management Research Initiative at the Dubai School of Government told IRIN.

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. Highlights

• There is an increase in the population figure compare to previous week as it is 24,326 as of May 24, 2012 reportedly due to improved re‐registration procedures in the Öncüpınar Container, not only due to new arrivals.

• The Council from the Australian Embassy visited the Öncüpınar Container Site and the Islahiye Camp in Gaziantep on May 23, 2012. The Ambassador of Canada visited the Öncüpınar Container Site in Kilis and the Islahiye Camp in Gaziantep on May 24, 2012.

DUBAI, 29 March 2012 (IRIN) - As it tries to improve its image and convince donors of its impartiality, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) is calling for more support in order to respond to growing humanitarian needs in Syria.

Several years after a massive influx of Iraqi refugees prompted the humanitarian community to build its first comprehensive and coordinated protection and assistance response, Iraqi refugees continue to constitute one of the largest urban refugee populations in the world.

Executive Summary

The complexity of humanitarian challenges in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) historically derives from the pre-existing causes- the long running conflict, instability and displacement in the Middle East as well as vulnerabilities related to natural disasters and socio-economic factors in most parts of the region. The humanitarian consequences of the recent civil unrest have exacerbated the situation across the region especially for the most vulnerable with minimal coping capacities.

KUWAIT CITY/DUBAI, 19 October 2011 (IRIN) - Among the aid agencies that poured into Somalia after famine was declared in July were organizations such as the Arab Federation of Doctors, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment of the United Arab Emirates, and the Deniz Feneri Association of Turkey.

They came with their own style.

JEDDAH, Aug 6 (KUNA) -- Director of Office for Coordination of humanitarian work of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Mogadishu, Ahmed Mohamed Adam, said on Saturday that the total humanitarian aid donated by the State of Kuwait for the benefit of drought-stricken people in Somalia is estimated at 3, 000 tons.

Adam said in a press statement distributed here today that 70 percent of the total assistance has been distributed through the cooperation of Islamic relief alliance, which consists of 15 humanitarian organizations currently operating in Somalia.