Speaking to Arab News following a meeting of the IIROSA's General Assembly in Jeddah on Thursday, Basha highlighted his organization's efforts to achieve international recognition. “We will go ahead with our various humanitarian programs for the benefit and welfare of people around the globe with the support of the Almighty despite the challenges and obstacles we face,” he said.

Abdullah Al-Turki, secretary-general of the Muslim World League, who presided over the function, said Saudi Arabia has been at the forefront of nations in providing assistance to the poor and extending relief to victims of natural catastrophes. He thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Crown Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, for their continuous support of IIROSA.

"Saudi Arabia is involved in such humanitarian activities inspired by the teachings of Islam, which is a religion of mercy and benevolence," Al-Turki told the meeting, which was attended by prominent Saudi businessmen and other dignitaries from within the Kingdom and abroad. He said IIROSA is ready to cooperate with other organizations in humanitarian activities.

In his interview with Arab News, Basha stressed IIROSA's plan to expand its activities in Saudi Arabia, adding that its activities in the Kingdom would benefit not only Saudis but also expatriates. “We need to do a lot inside the Kingdom, especially in taking care of the handicapped and orphans. We also want to provide medical services and send health caravans to remote areas in the country,” he added. IIROSA has been sponsoring over 85,000 orphans including 13,000 in the Kingdom.

There is no official ranking of relief organizations, Basha said, adding that IIROSA would ask specialized agencies to evaluate its activities and give necessary advice on how to reach the top. He said IIROSA's general assembly is expanded every year including prominent and influential personalities in the Islamic world to receive their support and advice.

“We would like to have partnership with more UN agencies and international organizations to benefit from their experience. This will give us an opportunity to learn from them. They can also learn from us and this interaction will help us become more professional in our mission,” he said.

Speaking about IIROSA's efforts to strengthen its international reputation, Basha said: “We have given top priority to transparency and accountability and qualitative services. We are ready to establish partnership with organizations that are well-established in the field. We have already joined hands with WHO, UNRWA, UNHCR and other leading international organizations.”

The IIROSA chief described the general assembly meeting as successful. “It was a transparent meeting that has taken some important decisions in order to take the organization to new heights," he said. "We wanted to be very efficient, especially when we are confronted with obstacles here and there. We will go ahead with our projects and will not stop in front of obstacles.”

He referred to IIROSA's new strategy. "We have appointed a counselor for two important projects; one to improve our international image; and second to establish a training center, which will play a big role in capacity building and cover engineering and mathematics.”

Basha said IIROSA was doing its best with its limited resources. He disclosed plans to establish six endowment towers in Makkah at a cost of SR500 million to receive an annual return of SR50 million, which will cover at least one third of its budget.

Syed Shah Khusro Hussaini, a member of IIROSA's general assembly from India, said efforts have been intensified to open an IIROSA office in India for the benefit of the poor and needy in the country. “I hope the government of India would soon issue a license to this organization to carry out its humanitarian work for the benefit of all Indian people irrespective OF caste, creed or religion,” he said.

Hussaini, who is president of the Khaja Education Society (KBN) in Gulbarga, Karnataka, said IIROSA's office in India would work with transparency and follow international regulations. Hussaini hoped that the recent meeting of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would open new avenues of cooperation between the two countries.