Agility, UNHCR Partner to Strengthen Refugee Service in Malaysia

Logistics company donation will support 12,000 refugees, mainly from Myanmar

DAVOS, Switzerland, Feb. 8, 2020 /PRNews/GIG/ — Agility, a leading global logistics provider, and the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, announced a partnership that will strengthen the delivery of essential services to refugees in Malaysia, in particular for vulnerable communities living outside of the country’s capital.

H.R.H. Prince Jaime de Bourbon de Parme, Senior Adviser, Private Sector Partnerships, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Geneva; Young Global Leader, Henadi Al Saleh, Chair of the Board of Directors, Agility, Kuwait, Tarek Sultan Al Essa, Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chairman of the Board, Agility, Kuwait, Alem Tedeneke, Media Lead, Canada, Latin America and Sustainable Development Goals, World Economic Forum, speaking in the Press Conference: Agility and UNHCR Announce Partnership in Malaysia session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 22 January. Congress Centre – Press Conference Room. Copyright by World Economic Forum/ Greg Beadle | View press release: https://prnews.gointernationalgroup.com/?p=28367

The partnership, announced at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting at Davos, will establish pilot programs in Johor and Penang, Malaysia. The programs will bring critically needed services to more than 12,000 refugees, including refugee card renewal, access to essential information related to protection, and to receive counseling on available services.

There are around 178,000 refugees registered with UNHCR in Malaysia. The new partnership with Agility will allow UNHCR to further extend support to more than 12,000 refugees, most of them Rohingyas from Myanmar. With local engagement and support, Agility and UNHCR will eliminate the need for vulnerable refugees to travel 300+ kilometers from their homes to Kuala Lumpur to have access to vital services, including refugee card renewal.

Agility CEO, Tarek Sultan, said, “UNHCR’s services are critical to giving refugees and families a safe place in times of turmoil. The services provided by UNHCR will help support a stronger sense of community for refugees who have been forced to flee their homes and villages. Agility has long supported UNHCR in the Middle East. We see a need to expand our partnership to help meet the needs of refugees in Malaysia.”

H.R.H. Prince Jaime de Bourbon de Parme, Senior Advisor for Private Sector Partnerships, UNHCR, said, “Agility’s contribution is an important demonstration of solidarity from the Kuwait private sector and one that will improve the safety and well-being of thousands of refugees in Malaysia, a country that has a long history of hosting displaced populations. The global size and scale of displacement requires us to go beyond the business as usual approach and I am confident that Agility’s gesture will inspire the private sector to upscale its support to refugees.”

Globally, Agility helps those affected by natural disasters and other crises by providing supply chain expertise and resources in collaboration with commercial partners, relief groups and international institutions. In the past, Agility has supported UNHCR’s work in the Middle East, by assisting more than 490 Syrian refugee families (close to 2,500 individuals) through fundraising and donations. To find out more about Agility’s sustainability activities, visit http://sustainability.agility.com.

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About Agility

Agility is a global logistics company with $5.1 billion in annual revenue and 26,000+ employees in more than 100 countries. It is one of the world’s top freight forwarding and contract logistics providers, and a leader and investor in technology to enhance supply chain efficiency. Agility is a pioneer in emerging markets and one of the largest private owners and developers of warehousing and light industrial parks in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Agility’s subsidiary companies offer fuel logistics, airport services, commercial real estate and facilities management, customs digitization, and remote infrastructure services.

For more information about Agility, visit www.agility.com

Twitter: twitter.com/agility
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agility
YouTube: youtube.com/user/agilitycorp

About UNHCR

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is mandated to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees and asylum-seekers worldwide. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum in another country and rebuild their lives in safety and dignity.

UNHCR seeks long term solutions for refugees including finding them new homes in third countries or helping them return home voluntarily when it is safe to do so. UNHCR strives to create a safe and secure environment for them where their basic needs are met. UNHCR cooperates with its Government and civil society partners in humanitarian support for refugees including in education, healthcare and community support.

www.unhcr.org