Monday, September 19, 2011

Did you know? The single largest donation given to help the victims of hurricane Katrina

Sunday, September 4, 2005, the country of Kuwait pledged US$500 million in oil products and other aid to United States Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. It is the single largest donation given to help the victims of hurricane Katrina.  Energy Minister Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahd al-Sabah explained, "The humanitarian aid is oil products that the devastated (U.S.) states need in these circumstances, plus other humanitarian aid to lessen the devastation these three states have been subjected to."

Al Sabah also stated that "It's our duty as Kuwaitis to stand by our friends to lighten the humanitarian misery and as a payback for the many situations during which Washington helped us through the significant relations between the two friendly countries." Kuwait is in fact one of the U.S.'s strongest allies in the Middle East, due to the U.S. protection of Kuwait in 1991 during the Gulf War.

Source:  LINK

I didn't know.  That's very interesting. 

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes, the Gulf Coast knows and my family and I will never forget Kuwait's generosity during this time. Thanks for posting DG and from the bottom of my heart thank you Kuwait.

ExpatandtheCity

Anonymous said...

But not even half of the donation pledge was ever actually handed over ... The GCC states often make headlines by offering cash during crises but then never actually deliver on the promise ...

Desert Girl said...

Anonymous 8:33 - Much like the money coming from our own government and US-based charities.