The UNFPA GCC office coordinated two resource mobilization (RM) missions to the UAE and Kuwait, in May (between the 3rd and 7th) and June (between the 8th and 11th), consecutively. Both missions were led by a prominent ASRO delegation consisting of Mr. Mohamed AbdelAhad, Director of ASRO, Mr. Asr Toson, GCC Representative, and Ms. Sherin SaadAllah, ASRO's Regional RM and Partnership Adviser.
On May, the team of three delegates, mentioned above, travelled to UAE with the objectives of participating in the Arab Youth Development Forum 2014 opening session (hosted by the UAE) and conducting an RM and outreach mission targeting key donor institutions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The UNFPA was present in the Youth Development Forum through its Arab States RD (regional director) as a keynote speaker, while the host country was represented by the keynote speaker Mr. Jamal Alhammadi, Director of youth and Culture Department of the UAE General Authority of Youth and Sports. The third keynote speaker was Mr Ahmed Al Hindawi Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General on Youth. After attending the first day of the forum the team then moved to conducting a series of key meetings with high representatives of major donor institutions. In addition, the team also met with the UN Resident Coordinator in the UAE to discuss the mission's objectives.
The similar Kuwait RM mission was attended by the same team of three UNFPA delegates for the UAE, mentioned earlier, in addition to Mr. Shible Sahbani, humanitarian coordinator, UNFPA Jordan. The team also met with the Kuwait RC, Mr. Mubashar Sheikh, and with members of UN Country Team of Kuwait. The importance of UNFPA presence, and continued dialogue and interaction was reiterated by Kuwaiti counterparts and the RC, adding urgency to the need to reconfigure UNFPA presence and representation in the Gulf.
