Qatar has highlighted the scale of its humanitarian and development response across several countries as part of World Humanitarian Day, with support ranging from emergency air and land bridges to healthcare, education, electricity, food, shelter and disaster-response operations.
In the Gaza Strip, Qatar’s humanitarian response during 2025–2026 included the delivery of assistance and relief supplies through 119 military aircraft and 1,500 aid trucks. A further 368,000 food baskets were distributed to families in need, alongside 100,000 relief tents for displaced families and 33.5 million litres of diesel and petrol to support the needs of the Strip.
In Afghanistan, Qatar Fund for Development signed a US$4.8 million funding agreement in support of the World Health Organization for the 2023–2026 period. The programme supports essential healthcare services and provides medicines and medical supplies across 11 remote Afghan provinces, benefiting more than one million people.
Education support in Afghanistan during the same period included a package of projects worth more than US$10 million, implemented with international partners including UNICEF. The projects included rehabilitating schools, training teachers and supporting the enrolment of more than 30,000 children in primary education, including a significant proportion of girls.
Qatar also responded to the devastating September 2025 earthquake in Afghanistan through an urgent air bridge involving nine Qatar Amiri Air Force aircraft. The operation included 180 personnel from the Qatari International Search and Rescue Group "Lekhwiya", who took part in search and rescue operations and debris removal, while medicines, food, tents and hygiene kits were dispatched to affected communities.
HE Dr. Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad, Minister of State for International Cooperation, also travelled to Kabul as part of the humanitarian air bridge, becoming the first Arab female minister to reach Afghanistan on a humanitarian mission, according to the information released.
In Sudan, a humanitarian aid vessel carrying 2,428 tonnes of supplies arrived at Sudanese ports in January 2026 through a partnership between Qatar Fund for Development and Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority, AFAD.
A land-based logistical bridge for medicines was also launched in February through cooperation between Qatar Fund for Development and Qatar Red Crescent Society, providing essential medicines and medical supplies to Sudanese hospitals.
Qatar also allocated US$10 million to an initiative supporting women and girls affected by the conflict in Sudan. The allocation was formally announced during HE Dr. Al Misnad’s visit to Port Sudan in April 2025.
In Syria, Qatar operated an air bridge to deliver food, medical and relief supplies while coordinating its response with international partners. Qatar Fund for Development also provided electricity support with a capacity of 800 megawatts for a full year from August 2025.
The electricity initiative increased supply in some areas to 16 hours per day, while some provinces reached continuous electricity for 24 hours on certain days. The support benefited millions of people across more than 11 Syrian provinces.
Qatar Fund for Development and the Saudi Fund for Development also provided US$89 million in joint financial support for three months of salaries for Syrian public-sector employees in the health, education and social affairs sectors, as well as civilian retirees. The initiative was implemented in coordination with the United Nations Development Programme.
In Lebanon, 100 tonnes of medical assistance and medicines were provided in April 2026 through Qatar Fund for Development and transported aboard a Qatar Airways aircraft, benefiting tens of thousands of people. A joint visit involving Qatar, the United Kingdom and France also took place in June 2026.
Qatar’s disaster response extended to Europe and Latin America. During the wildfires in Spain in August 2026, a team from the Qatari International Search and Rescue Group "Lekhwiya" was deployed, with 129 specialists taking part in firefighting operations and providing technical and logistical support. Advanced firefighting equipment, vehicles and a helicopter dedicated to firefighting and evacuation were also deployed.
Following an earthquake and other natural disasters in Venezuela in June 2026, Qatar operated an urgent air bridge, deployed a Qatari international search and rescue team and provided a field hospital alongside medical, food and shelter assistance.
The initiatives reflect Qatar’s broader approach of combining emergency humanitarian relief with longer-term development programmes and international partnerships across regions affected by conflict and natural disasters.
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