The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, extended the appointment of Dr. Abdullah Al-Matouq, Chairman of the Board of the International Islamic Charity Organization, as Special Advisor to the UN Secretary-General for another year, showing the UN's deep gratitude for his continued humanitarian efforts. His overall service with the UN now stands at 13 years of continuous humanitarian service, including the ninth straight year.

In accordance with UN regulations and procedures, Dr. Al-Matouq was formally notified today by the UN Secretary-General that his appointment as Special Advisor to the Secretary-General has been renewed for an additional year, ending in March 2026, with the rank of Assistant Secretary-General.

In a press release on the renewal, Dr. Al-Matouq extended thanks to the UN for its renewed appointment, stating that it puts a great deal of responsibility on him to continue serving humanity in the face of the world's challenging conditions, such as crises, humanitarian disasters, and conflicts.

"With passion and commitment, I aim to continue my efforts to support the UN's goals in promoting peace, sustainable development, and addressing the needs of poor people and disaster-stricken areas," he added.

Furthermore, Dr. Al-Matouq clarified that the UN's reaffirmation of faith in him is evidence of the value of collaborations with humanitarian initiatives in Kuwait and the Islamic world, highlighting the pivotal role these collaborations play in helping the affected people and furthering the UN's sustainable development goals.

He also noted "Without the grace of God first, followed by the ongoing support of Kuwait's political leadership, and the success of charitable and humanitarian work in carrying out its mission with efficiency, integrity, and transparency, it would not have been possible to represent the Arab and Islamic world in this position".

In recognition of his significant humanitarian contributions, Dr. Al-Matouq was appointed as the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Humanitarian Affairs for four years in a row (2012-2016) under former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. This was the first time an Arab official had been appointed to such a prestigious humanitarian position. International humanitarian operations were active during this time, and Kuwait served as both a sponsor and a starting point. Dr. Al-Matouq has been a prominent figure in these efforts since the start of the Syrian crisis in 2011, and charitable groups helped to shape these efforts by organizing volunteer grassroots support for humanitarian response calls in disaster-stricken countries, particularly Syria.

Dr. Al-Matouq was chosen as António Guterres' Special Advisor in March 2017 with the status of Assistant Secretary-General after Ban Ki-moon was replaced as UN Secretary-General by Guterres. He has now served humanity through the UN for 13 years in a row after Guterres restored his confidence in him a few days ago to carry out this duty for the ninth year in a row.

This UN trust is proof of the world's appreciation for Dr. Al-Matouq's humanitarian efforts and the UN's commitment to enhancing global collaborations in sustainable development and humanitarian relief.

As it raises its banner at international fora, "Al-Almiya" Magazine takes this occasion to congratulate Dr. Al-Matouq on this renewed UN appointment and prays for his ongoing success in helping distressed peoples and developing Islamic charitable work.