1. On December 2, Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kweon Ki-hwan attended the "Cairo Ministerial Conference*." In the conference, he emphasized the international community’s efforts to respond to the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and announced that the Korean government will continue to join these efforts.

    * Cairo Ministerial Conference to Enhance the Humanitarian Response in Gaza

2. Deputy Minister Kweon explained that the Korean government has contributed a total 40 million U.S. dollars to help respond to the ever-worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas armed conflict in October last year. He added that in order to resolve the humanitarian crisis in the region, it is important for the parties concerned to immediately reach a ceasefire, release the hostages, and guarantee an unhindered humanitarian access in compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 2735.

    * (Korea’s Humanitarian Assistance to Gaza) ▴2 million U.S. dollars in 2023 and▴8 million U.S. dollars in January 2024 and an additional 30 million U.S. dollars delivered in full after Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul announced Korea’s assistance plan on September 27 during this year’s UN General Assembly session

3. The conference participants agreed that for an immediate and peaceful resolution of the situation in Gaza, it is important for the parties concerned to have a political will and for the international community to continue mediation efforts in support of that will.  The participants also shared the view on the insufficiency of the assistance offered in response to the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, calling for the international community’s attention. They agreed to deepen cooperation not only on humanitarian assistance but for an early recovery in the long term.

    ※ According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 2.3 billion U.S. dollars has been raised, 62 percent of 3.42 billion U.S. dollars needed for humanitarian aid to 2.1 million residents in Gaza.

4. As a Global Pivotal State and a nonpermananent member of the UN Security Council in 2024-2025, the Korean government plans to continue offering humanitarian assistance to regions around the world suffering from humanitarian crises.

5. On the sidelines of the conference, Deputy Minister Kweon met with Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) Carl Skau and discussed measures for cooperation in response to humanitarian crises around the world including the Gaza Strip.

6. This conference was co-hosted by the Egyptian government and the UN and attended by ministers and/or representatives of some 60 countries including Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty, and high-ranking officials from international organizations and major humanitarian assistance NGOs such as Deputy Secretary-General of the UN Amina J. Mohammed.