Thematic focus areas supported by the solution: MDG 8 on Global Partnerships for Development Crisis Prevention and Recovery - Immediate Crisis

Development challenge and key achievements:

Recent years have seen an increase in frequency and severity of disasters. Important cases included disasters in China, Haiti, Pakistan and Somalia. To address increasing challenges, broader levels of global partnerships are needed. Saudi Arabia has emerged as one of the largest Southern providers of ODA for crisis response and recovery, providing $2-3billion/year overall ODA for both humanitarian and development goals. This includes some important level of support to UN efforts, with $183m in recent years to the UN for initiatives in China, Haiti, Pakistan and Somalia, including early recovery components led by UNDP. Such an initiative can be replicable with regards to sourcing Gulf and in particular Saudi Arabian funding in the future with regards to crisis prevention and other response/recovery activities also. This model serves as a well-placed example of partnership with a southern ODA provider within the Arab States region in enhancing the South-South cooperation between regional sources.

The comparative advantage of the solution:

The role of the Arab Gulf rarely shows largely in UN reviews of South-South cooperation. Meanwhile the Arab Gulf is one of the leading sources of global ODA and broader South-South solutions. By analysing the case of Saudi Arabia, as the lead provider of South- South cooperation from the Arab region, one can better understand overall trends of Arab Gulf South- South potentials and scope of future opportunities, particularly with regard to emerging crisis response and early recovery needs within the Arab region itself.

Lessons Learned:

In the post-Busan era, attention is focused on the role of the Emerging South as new partners in global development. As one of the top providers of ODA from the South, the case shows the trends of Saudi partnerships for crisis response and recovery, and the UN component of these expanding partnerships. By learning past lessons of these cases, scope also exists to identify future scope for cooperation. Needs exist in improving coordination among UN agencies, effective communication of results and providing capacity development supports where needed.

Recent Annual Budget (USD): 3,000,000

Total Budget (USD): 3,000,000

Focal Point and Contact:
Johny Theodory
Infrastructure Unit, UNDP/PAPP
Jerusalem- OPT, 4A Yakubi
St., Jerusalem, 91191, P.O. Box: 51359
Tel: +972548174148
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.