Qatar Katrina Fund is a Tale of Friendship: Ambassador Mohammed Jaham Al-Kuwari
Last week marked the 10th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's landfall in New Orleans, LA. In the wake of the destruction and despair spurred by the hurricane and the failure of New Orleans' levies, Qatar stepped in to help, establishing the Qatar Katrina Fund within two weeks. The Fund allocated $100 million to the city's rebuilding efforts.
His Excellency Mohammed Jaham Al-Kuwari, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the United States, visited New Orleans last week in honor of the 10th Anniversary. We would like to share with you an Op-Ed written by Ambassador Al-Kuwari published in The Times-Picayune.
Ten years ago, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast of the United States, wreaking havoc in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. More than 8,000 miles away, we in Qatar, a small Arab state located on the shores of the Arabian Gulf, felt deeply moved by what befell this side of the world. As heartbreaking images of destruction and displacement unfolded before our eyes, we felt the urge to act and help.
Within two weeks, we established the Qatar Katrina Fund in New Orleans and around the Gulf Coast. With a gift of $100 million, we embarked with our American partners on a joint journey of building and rebuilding. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, who visited New Orleans three years later, could hardly hide his emotions: "We saw what happened to the city," said the then-emir of Qatar. "We are all neighbors in a small and fragile world."
It was a small world indeed. In the spirit of human solidarity, an Arab Gulf state was extending its hand to three American Gulf states. Eighteen projects were put in place in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. Funds were distributed among education, housing and health care sectors. It was a mission of healing and revival, guided by a sense of duty, not charity. We believe that in every society, people have a right to live and prosper, not merely to survive.
On the education front, the Qatar Katrina Fund offered financial aid and scholarships to students with limited resources. Academic departments were equipped with cutting-edge research facilities. Beneficiaries included Tulane University, Louisiana State University, Loyola University, and Xavier University. We are proud to see the name of Qatar so memorably engraved into the walls and hallways of such prominent institutions.
In the health care area, efforts were devoted to building community clinics, sending health mobile units to remote neighborhoods and covering the medical expenses of uninsured patients. Funds for New Orleans' March of Dimes provided medical care directly to women and children. We have furthermore enjoyed the partnership of dedicated individuals and teams at Tulane's Medical School, Children's Hospital of New Orleans and Memorial Hospital at Gulfport in Mississippi.
Housing projects followed suit. Funds for Habitat for Humanity helped build new homes along the Gulf Coast. Support for Neighborhood Housing Services offered housing loans to displaced families in New Orleans. Aid was extended to local agencies for homeless people. New housing facilities were built in poor neighborhoods, reaching the coastal communities of Mississippi. Historic sites were restored and reopened, and a Musicians' Village was built in the Ninth Ward.
Ten years into the disaster, New Orleans continues to show an incredible display of human will and determination. With the help of local and international actors on the ground, a new city has risen from the ruins.
While hailed as the second-highest international donation, the Qatari gift was relatively modest compared to the damage done. This inspired us to think of creative ways to help. Qatar chose to distribute its aid directly to partner organizations, instead of through intermediaries, not only because we wanted to ensure that the money reach its targets, but because we wanted to work closely with the families and individuals who needed it.
Our strategy proved valuable on both counts. First, it allowed us to join forces with committed partners in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Second, it brought us in direct contact with hundreds of community leaders, students, teachers, artists and other caring citizens. After 10 years of productive cooperation, I hope we can say with confidence that together, we have made a difference in these communities.
Humanitarian aid is part and parcel of our culture and values. It is also a bridge for lasting friendship. Over the past decade, the Qatar–U.S. relations have only deepened. Today our bilateral partnership spans across a wide spectrum of strategic, economic and cultural interests.
This week, we celebrate with our friends in New Orleans the 10th anniversary of Qatar Katrina Fund. While the city continues to heal and recover, its spirit remains strong. So is our friendship, our faith in human solidarity and common destiny. Every time I visit the city, I am reminded by the good people of New Orleans that the Qatari people have become part of this community. I would like to assure them that people in Qatar feel pretty much the same way.
