The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has expressed thanks to the

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its donation to the UNHCR's emergency relief programs for

refugees in the great lakes region in Central Africa, and commended the personal concern

shown by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz for displaced

people worldwide and his constant efforts to support humanitarian causes.   Earlier this week,

the Saudi government announced a donation of U.S. $ 350,000 to UNHCR's emergency

programs for Rwanda and Burundi, and allocation of U.S. $ 150,000 dollars specifically for

refugees returning to Rwanda, a total of half a million dollars.   The Kingdom also announced

an increase in its annual share of UNHCR's budget from ten thousand to one hundred thousand

dollars. Saudi contributions to UNHCR since 1979 now total over U.S. $ 60 million, in cash and in kind, placing the Kingdom top among donors from the Gulf region.  In addition, this year Saudi Arabia donated one million dollars to the King Fahd relief program in Chechnya.

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