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RIYADH, 2nd April, 2017 (WAM) -- Representatives from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development, and the Islamic Development Bank approved several development projects for 2017 under the US$2.5 billion Lives and Livelihoods Fund, LLF. The fund is the largest multilateral development initiative in the Middle East and North Africa for poverty alleviation in member countries of the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation, OIC. This second meeting of the Impact Committee of the LLF, which took place on 30th March, was inaugurated by Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabiah, Advisor at the Saudi Royal Court and General Supervisor of King Salman Relief and Humanitarian Aid Centre, KS Relief. In attendance were representatives of the Islamic Development Bank, IsDB, and the major donors to the LLF that include KS Relief; the Qatar Fund for Development, QFFD; Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, ADFD; the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; and the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development, ISFD. Representatives of the Turkish Red Crescent also attended the meeting as observers on behalf of the Republic of Turkey. During the meeting, the Impact Committee approved US$242.6 million in financing for health, agriculture, and rural infrastructure development projects in eight member countries of the IsDB. The projects are scheduled to be implemented in Tajikistan, Sudan, Djibouti, Niger, Mauritania, Cameroon, Uganda, and Guinea. Maher Al Hadhrawi, Assistant Supervisor General for Operations and Programmes at KS Relief, and Chair of the LLF for its first year of operations said, "The second meeting of the Lives and Livelihoods Fund Impact Committee marks an important milestone in the Fund’s progress. We successfully launched the first project, a malaria prevention and control project in partnership with the Government of Senegal in March. We are here today to prioritise more projects that will have the biggest impact on the Muslim world and lift the poorest people out of poverty." "Over the next five years, the Lives and Livelihoods Fund will make $2.5 billion available for anti-poverty projects in health, agriculture and rural infrastructure in Islamic Development Bank member countries. $363 million has been approved for the Fund’s first operational year, and all the donors are working closely together to ensure that funds are allocated effectively," Al Hadhrawi added. Commenting on the LLF project developments, Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of ADFD, said, "Today’s meeting demonstrates that the Lives and Livelihoods Fund is making steady progress in improving people’s live across the developing world. Our contribution to the Fund articulates the development agenda pursued by the UAE Government that aims to promote inclusive social and economic development through working with our partners from other development agencies to ensure the effectiveness of our aid programmes. Al Suwaidi continued, "We are proud to be a founding member of the largest multilateral development initiative in the Middle East and look forward to devoting all our resources and expertise to ensuring improved livelihoods for the people of developing countries. This approach aligns well with Abu Dhabi Fund for Development’s aim to use innovative finance to support developing countries achieve their development goals." The Lives and Livelihoods Fund will make US$2.5 billion available over the next five years on projects that help the poorest people in 30 of the poorest Muslim countries lead healthy and productive lives. Administered by the IsDB, the fund combines $2 billion of IsDB financing with $500 million in grants from donors.