Hajjar made the comments while speaking to members of the 123rd General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) that was held in Geneva on Tuesday.
“The king wishes to serve humanity living in all parts of the world where people need support and assistance,” said Hajjar, while addressing IPU members at an emergency session in which the flood relief project in Pakistan was discussed.
“The Kingdom is keen to carry out its humanitarian responsibilities to help people when they are in distress,” he said.
Hajjar added that during the past three decades, an estimated $1 billion in non-refundable aid and soft loans have been given to deserving people benefiting some 95 countries.
On the instructions of King Abdullah, the Kingdom has built an air bridge to support Pakistanis who have been affected by the floods.
“It was a quick scheme to ensure continuous aid in kind. We set up field hospitals and also established first aid mobile units to help those who have been affected by the floods,” he said. He also appealed to the international community to help people in Pakistan.
Besides Hajjar, other members of the Saudi team included Shoura Council Secretary-General Muhammad Al-Ghamdi; council members Saleh Al-Husseini, Dr. Sadaka Al-Fadel and Dr. Abdullah Al-Bukhari; and the council's consultants Dr. Johara Bobshayt and Dr. Fathima Jamjoom.
Al-Ghamdi also attended a meeting for the secretary-generals of the parliaments of member countries. Besides several regulatory issues relevant to the assembly, the meeting discussed parliamentary expenditures, its management during financial crises, challenges and solutions.
On the sidelines of the main session held on Tuesday, Bobshayt and Jamjoom took part in panel discussions on “migration and development” that were chaired by IPU Secretary-General Anders B. Johnson.
Established in 1889, IPU enjoys a membership of over 155 parliaments across the globe and nine associate members. It exercises its business through its executive committee and three standing committees dealing with peace and international security, sustainable development, finance, trade, and democracy and human rights.
IPU is the only organization that represents legislative bodies at the global level.
