UN humanitarian chief discusses aid in Saudi

0 Comments | AFP, April, 2008

RIYADH (AFP) — UN humanitarian chief John Holmes on Sunday discussed with Saudi King Abdullah and other officials in the oil-rich kingdom setting up a structure to channel more aid through international bodies.

Saudi Arabia has been "very generous in giving aid at the bilateral level," Holmes told AFP at the end of a two-day visit to Riyadh.

But "it would be good to have a greater balance between bilateral aid and aid given through the international humanitarian system," he said before leaving for the United Arab Emirates as part of a four-nation Gulf tour.

Holmes said he did not ask for specific financial contributions but focused instead on ways of "creating a coordination structure" to increase Saudi humanitarian aid through multilateral channels.

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