(WASHINGTON, DC) - The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz have issued directives for a national fundraising event on Saudi television to be held on January 6 for the victims of the tsunami in the Indian Ocean region.

Earlier today, Saudi Arabia announced it is tripling its emergency humanitarian aid to the victims of the tsunami to U.S. $30 million in response to ongoing assessments of the magnitude of the tragedy. The Kingdom’s assistance will be coordinated with United Nations agencies in order to ensure speedy and effective delivery of aid to the victims of this disaster. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will continue to reassess the situation.

Saudi Ambassador to the United States Prince Bandar bin Sultan remarked: “Due to the extent of the disaster, we need to consider long-term relief for the survivors of this terrible tragedy, and we continue to monitor the situation to enable the best support possible. We will continue to generate support and encourage other countries to do the same.”

In addition to the $30 million allocated by the Kingdom, the Saudi-based Islamic Development Bank on Sunday earmarked U.S. $10 million for relief efforts, and continues to assess the future needs of the affected areas in coordination with United Nations’ relief agencies and local authorities.