External Relations and Coordination with other Islamic and International Organizations


(A). Membership to International, Regional and Umbrella Relief Organizations and Institutions:
The International Islamic Relief Organization, Saudi Arabia (IIROSA) is an active reputable and vital member of the world relief system. As such it attends the UN’s meetings and conference concerning such issues as asylum seeking cases, children and disaster, maintains active relations with the UN other international organizations as follows:

1. Member of the Constituent Body of the Int’l. Islamic Council for Daw’wa and Relief (IICDR).
2. Member of the Presidential Body of the Int’l. Islamic Council for Daw’wa and Relief.
3. Member of the various committees of the IICDR and head of its General Relief Committee.
4. Member of the Islamic Coordinating Councils for Relief Organizations working in Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Bosnia Herzegovina, Albania, Gaza and Sudan.
5. Member of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC).
6. Member of Board of Conference on Non- Governmental Organizations (CONGO).
7. Enjoys observer status with the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
8. Member of the Executive Committee of the Geneva-based International Council of Voluntary Agency (ICVA).
9. IIROSA coordinate the efforts of the of the UNHCR and the ICVA in the Middle East and attends PARinAC meetings—a partnership between UNHCR and other voluntary organizations.
10. Member of the Arab Network of Non- Governmental organzations.
11. Member of the Arab Council for Children and Development.
12. Member of the Arab Network for Gulf-based Organizations.
13. IIROSA maintains close relations with the organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and participates in its meetings a observer.
14. Member of OIC Coordinating Committee for Islamic Action.
15. An observer at the IDO.
16. Member of the Joint Committee on Relief for Kosovo and Chechnya.
17. Member of the Saudi Arabian Committee for Al-Quds (Jerusalem).
18. Member of various humanitarian committees in the 13 administrative regions of Saudi Arabia.
19. Member of Saudi Arabia Joint Committee for Afghanistan.

(B). Cooperation and Coordination with other International agencies:

1. Cooperation with UN agencies to implement joint refugee projects:
   World Food Program: this organization provided IIROSA with food materials for distribution among refugees in Mali, Sierra Leone and Tanzania and keeping with continuing cooperation between the two organizations. It has received the Director of the World Food Program at its premises in Jeddah and handed over him with IIROSA proposals.
2. The United Nation High Commission for Refugees: Cooperated with IIROSA to deliver large quantities of food items such as maize to refugees stationed in Mali, Sierra Leone and Tanzania. UNHCR paid the expense of transporting the food items to IIROSA’s warehouses in the affected area and joined IIROSA in distributing large quantities of blankets in IIROSA supervised camps in Azerbaijan. IIROS provided $10.000 to the UNHCR to distribute blankets to Afghan refugee in Pakistan. (see Un records in Geneva)
3. United Nation International Children’s Emergency Fund: The IIROA and the UNICEF worked together in supplying Kurdish refugee in northern Iraq with carpets, blankets and heaters, as well as renovated one school building and installed water supply network.
4. World Health Organization: In cooperation with the WHO, IIROSA conducted three courses to improve the performance of traditional midwives in Balakh, Mazar-e-herif and Jaojazan areas of Afghanistan. Thirty-six midwives attended the courses that lasted for 4 month, and extended medical facilities to more than 20.000 pregnant women and 25.000 children under the age of 5 years.
    

(C). Cooperation with International Non-Governmental Organizations Joint Refugee Programs:

1. CARE: This US-based organization worked together with IIROSA in building a food distribution center in Sierra Leone.
2. HELP: Through efforts between IIROSA and Germany-based organization distributed food and other relief items in the refugee camps in Somalia and Azerbaijan.
3. VISION: The US-based organization worked with IIROSA in renovating residential structures at the No.2 returning refugees camp at Somkait area in Azerbaijan.
4. IRD: Clothes and blanket were distributed to refugees in Azerbaijan through joint efforts between IIROSA and American-based IRD organization.

(D). Cooperation with other Islamic Organizations and Institutions:

1. Muslim World League:
   The IIROSA is the League’s active wing where relief, health care, educational, economic and social development is concerned. It is also a brilliant façade and a major wing of non-governmental relief efforts in Saudi Arabia. For example, the Awalia School in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia is operate by IIROSA on behalf of both the League and the Iqra Charity Society and in fact shares the same office with the League in certain countries, including Pakistan, Indonesia and Jordan. Moreover, in places where IIROSA has no mission, it depends on the League’s branch offices in supervising such seasonal programs as distribution of free meals and the late King Fahad bin Abdul Aziz’s donation of palm dates. Further, the Secretary-General of IIROSA attends the meetings of the Constituent Council of the League and submits progress reports.
2. International Islamic Council for Da’wa and Relief (IICDR):
   IIROSA heads one of the permanent committees of the IICDR (General Committee) and enjoy membership to several others. It is represented at the meetings of both the “Constituent Body” and “Presidential Body” of the IICDR and coordinates the efforts of the Islamic relief organizations. It also submits the Secretary-General of the IICDR with copies of its ordinary and circular letters addressed to relief organizations when disaster strikes, and provides the IICDR with periodical reports concerning coordination and joint activities of the member organizations of the “General Committee”.
3. Organization of the Islamic Conference:
   IIROSA maintains close relations with the OIC and participates in its meetings as an observer. it also attends the “Summit” conferences of the heads of state as well as the meetings of the Foreign Ministers of the member countries of OIC. In his capacity as the head of the General Committee, the Secretary-General of IIROA submit periodical reports concerning its activities as well as those of the other Islamic relief organizations. Moreover, IIROSA attends the meetings of such agencies of the OIC as IECO, and the Islamic Action Committee formed by the OIC. In fact, some of the programs of IIROSA are funded by the solidarity fund of the OIC.
4. Islamic Development Bank:
   There is close cooperation between IDB and IIROSA; certain programs of IDB are run by IIROSA, e.g. IDB health care and educational programs in Kenya and Somalia. It also delivered IDB grants to Rwandan and Chechnyan refugees.
5. Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO):
   IIROSA maintains excellent ties of cooperation with ISESCO particularly in the field of exchange of information and participation in educational, cultural and scientific events of common interest. Joint efforts are made by the two organizations to conduct studies, publish of curricula and books and produce films. Likewise, the two organizations jointly organize courses and other scholarships to needy students.
6. Iqra Charity Society:
   This society works together with IIROSA in subsidizing and operating schools for Burmese refugees and members of African community in Makkah Al Mukarramah. IIROSA donates more than SR.200.000, while Iqra assumes a supervisory role.
    

(E). Conferences and meetings Attended in 2003/2004:
IIROSA is always keen enough to maintain excellent relation and close cooperation between IIROSA and other international, regional and local organizations with similar objectives, as well as all who concerned with charitable relief work within the Kingdom and broad.
During the fiscal year 2003/2004, the Secretary General of IIROA, has met with many high-ranking officials concerned with relief work, where he briefed them on IIROSA’s programs and activities worldwide. He also discussed with them many issues related to ways to promote cooperation and coordination in the various fields of relief, health care, educational and social welfare programs.
The Secretary General has received also at his office several ministers, ambassadors and consuls of Muslim countries where IIROSA have branch offices or implements part of its activities. During these meetings, the Secretary General gave a detailed account of IIROSA’s activities and programs, and reviewed with them facilities and services that could be made available by their respective countries to help IIROSA carry out its humanitarian mission in the best possible manner.



(f). Conferences:

1. May 14, 2005: IIROSA attended the 42nd session of the Presidential Body of the International Islamic Council for Da’wa and Relief, held in Cairo, to review activities of the council’s General Relief Committee headed by IIROSA.
2. March 16-17, 2002: IIROSA attended the 23rd coordination meeting of the General Relief Committee held in Oman, Jordan to discuss impacts of the current situation in Iraq and Palestine, in addition, to means of providing urgent relief assistance to the victims and affected people therein.
3. April 2003: in coordination with the Department of Studies and International Relations at the Muslim World League, IIROSA presented an envisage proposal for holding an international conference on charity work and its future horizons.
4. June 25-26, 2003: IIROSA participated in the International Aid and Trade Fair2003, held in Nairobi, Kenya. IIROSA has displayed informative data items regarding its role and accomplishments in the various fields of charitable relief work around the world.
5. April 2003: IIROSA attended the 13th session of the coordination committee of the Joint Islamic Action in the field of Da’wa, held in Makkah under the auspices of the Muslim World League, and presented a paper on “Ways of contribution, exchange of information and coordination between Islamic societies and institutions working in the field of Da’wa”.
6. Governor of Kippi State, Nigeria Praises IIROSA:
   In his letter to the Director of IIROSA’s branch office in Nigeria, (ref.No:S/10/VOL dated 18 /03/1423H) the Governor of Kippi State in Nigeria, expressed his appreciation for the huge humanitarian and relief assistance rendered by IIROSA to the poor and needy in Nigeria, particularly in the field of well digging and orphans sponsoring.
7. IIROSA, Selected as the Best Islamic and Arab Organization in the Field of Rural Development:
   The International Islamic Relief Organization (IIROSA) was selected as the best Islamic and Arab organization, and one of the leading international organizations working in the field of rural development in Tchad.
   The move came during a workshop organized by the Chadian government in collaboration with the World Bank to explore efforts and policies of international organizations in the field of rural development. IIROSA, which was the single Islamic and Arab organization invited, presented a paper on “Promotion of the role of citizen in local development process through utilization of potentialities provided by international organizations”. The paper highlighted IIROSA’s role in providing job opportunities for the local citizen, in IIROSA’s charitable projects and development programs in Tchad.