6/18/2026
The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), in its capacity as Trustee of the Global Islamic Fund for Refugees (GIFR), today announced the signing of a strategic Donor Contribution Agreement with Qatar Charity. The agreement was signed by Dr. Rami Ahmad, Vice President Operations at IsDB, and Mr. Nawaf Abdulla AlHammadi, Deputy CEO for Programmes and Communications at Qatar Charity. This collaboration marks a significant advancement for GIFR in the delivery of sustainable, endowment (Waqf) based humanitarian aid, establishing a robust framework designed to provide support to forcibly displaced population including refugees, internally displaced persons, and vulnerable host communities across IsDB member countries.
Reinforcing a shared commitment to humanitarian progress, this strategic partnership directly confronts the escalating global crisis of forced displacement by harmonizing immediate relief with long-term systemic recovery. By synergizing Qatar Charity’s extensive, on-the-ground operational expertise with the GIFR’s innovative endowment model, the partnership breaks the traditional cycle of grant-based aid dependency. Through this new partnership, GIFR will continue to foster sustainable resilience and empower forcibly displaced populations with the necessary measures to achieve dignified lives and prospects of self-sufficiency.
Through this landmark agreement, Qatar Charity is contributing US$10 million as waqf, significantly augmenting the GIFR’s reach and amplifying its socio-economic impact in the regions that need it most. This collaboration is made possible by the unique architecture of the GIFR itself. Launched in 2022 as a pioneering initiative between IsDB Concessional Fund (ICF) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), GIFR leverages Islamic finance principles to preserve its endowment principal, creating an enduring, reliable revenue stream. By moving beyond traditional short-term funding, this model allows the IsDB and partners like Qatar Charity to channel sustained investments into the education, healthcare, and livelihood programs that transform lives.
“This partnership with Qatar Charity represents a new chapter in our mission to empowering communities affected by forced displacement,” said Mr. Mohammad Jamal Alsaati, Officer-in-Charge, Director of Special and Trust Funds Department at IsDB. “With the IsDB Concessional Fund (ICF) serving as a founding partner, we are anchoring our efforts through GIFR as a sustainable, endowment-based model, to chart a course that navigates away from fragility and into a future of sustained resilience and enduring prosperity.”
Commenting on this occasion, Mr. Nawaf Abdulla AlHammadi, Deputy CEO for Programmes and Communications at Qatar Charity, said: “The signing of this agreement builds on Qatar Charity’s continuous efforts and its accumulated field experience of nearly four decades in supporting refugees and displaced populations worldwide. It reflects our commitment to advancing innovative, Sharia-compliant humanitarian financing models that support sustainability and help break the cycle of dependency on grant-based aid. We seek to achieve this by balancing urgent response with long-term solutions through investments in education, healthcare, and community empowerment, while ensuring that funding reaches beneficiaries directly. We believe that effective humanitarian work is grounded in strong partnerships with key international institutions, particularly IsDB and UNHCR."
As the GIFR Co-Founder, Dr. Khaled Khalifa, Senior Adviser to the High Commissioner on Islamic Philanthropy and UNHCR Representative to the GCC, commented, “Today’s global humanitarian context is facing unprecedented pressure, marked by rising needs and widening funding shortfalls, driven by instability, protracted conflicts, and economic uncertainty. In this context, the Global Islamic Fund for Refugees represents a transformative step forward in securing sustainable financing, offering an approach aligned with the scale and complexity of today’s challenges.” He added, “We commend Qatar Charity for its generous contribution and steadfast commitment. Together with the Islamic Development Bank, this partnership under the GIFR demonstrates how innovative financing and strategic collaboration can unlock new resources and empower forcibly displaced communities and their hosts to rebuild their futures.”
While Mr. Ahmed Mohsen, UNHCR Representative to the State of Qatar, complemented by advising that, “This partnership is a powerful example of how innovative collaborations can help bridge critical funding gaps and strengthen response to today’s growing humanitarian challenges. At a time of increasing displacement and acute funding shortages, initiatives like the Global Islamic Fund for Refugees offer a sustainable path forward, moving beyond short-term assistance and paving the way for long-term resilience and self-reliance." He added, "This is made possible by leveraging forward-looking financing models and working jointly with Qatar Charity and the Islamic Development Bank, to ensure sustained support and deliver meaningful, lasting impact for forcibly displaced people and their host communities in the member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.”
With GIFR already acting as a lifeline in critical hotspots, anchoring life-sustaining projects for Sudanese refugees across Chad, Egypt, and Libya, with additional projects approved for Bangladesh, Mali, Nigeria and Sudan, this partnership arrives at a critical juncture. Given that IsDB member countries host around half the world’s forcibly displaced populations, this collaboration with Qatar Charity serves as a powerful catalyst for collective action. This new contribution joins a growing consortium of key donors, including King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSRelief), Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA), and Secours Islamique France (SIF), who have all played a vital role in advancing the GIFR’s mission.