Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia | 24-25 February 2025 – H.E. Ambassador Berik Aryn, Director General of the Islamic Organization for Food Security, attended the 4th Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum (RIHF 2025) at the invitation of H.E. Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, Advisor to the Royal Court and Supervisor General of KSrelief.
The RIHF 2025, a premier humanitarian platform, brought together senior officials, humanitarian organizations, and diplomatic representatives to discuss the future of humanitarian response. The opening ceremony was attended by H.R.H. Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of Riyadh; H.R.H. Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs; H.E. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO; H.E. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus UNICEF's Executive Director, alongside other high-level dignitaries and international humanitarian leaders. The forum showcased Saudi Arabia’s leadership in global relief efforts, with KSrelief having implemented over 3,000 projects across more than 100 countries, valued at $7.3 billion.
On the sidelines Ambassador Aryn engaged in informal discussions with H.E. Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, Chairman of the Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB), and H.E. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, reaffirming their shared commitment to sustainable agriculture, food security, and humanitarian response.
In his meeting with H.E. Dr. Ahmed Al-Baiz, Vice Supervisor General of KSrelief, discussions focused on aligning IOFS’s agricultural resilience programs with KS-Relief’s humanitarian interventions to enhance food security in crisis-affected OIC Member States.
Ambassador Aryn also met with H.E. Dyaddin Said Bamakhrama, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps & Ambassador of Djibouti to Saudi Arabia, where they discussed regional food security priorities and explored ways to enhance IOFS’s engagement with OIC Member States, particularly in Africa.
In a separate meeting, H.E. Abdulhakim Elwaer, FAO Assistant Director-General & Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa, and Ambassador Aryn discussed strengthening cooperation between IOFS and FAO in promoting sustainable agricultural development, Gene-Bank, climate resilience, and food security programs in arid and semi-arid regions.
Additionally, Ambassador Aryn met with H.E. Ulukbek Maripov, Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to Saudi Arabia and Permanent Representative to the OIC, where they discussed potential collaboration in food security and agricultural development. The meeting also focused on encouraging Kyrgyzstan to join IOFS membership, reinforcing the organization's role in supporting OIC countries in achieving food security resilience.
A significant discussion with H.E. Eng. Abdulaziz Al-Howaish, Advisor to the Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture (MEWA) and Honorary Chairman of the IOFS Executive Board, focused on Saudi Arabia’s continued role in supporting IOFS initiatives, particularly in advancing food security policies, agricultural sustainability, and regional capacity building.
The visit of the Director-General, reinforced IOFS’s dedication to strengthening partnerships with Saudi Arabia and international organizations to advance sustainable food security solutions, ensuring resilience for vulnerable communities across the OIC region.
