Saudi Arabia was the second-largest humanitarian aid donor worldwide after the US in 2025, with Riyadh taking the lead in contributions to Yemen and placing second for Syria, according to the United Nations Financial Tracking Service.
When combined with assistance from Qatar and the UAE, the Gulf trio’s giving last year exceeded that of the US, despite the latter having an economy almost 20 times bigger.
The rise in Gulf development assistance comes amid a retreat by Washington. US President Donald Trump froze many large programs when he took office last year and dismantled USAID, shrinking the role the world’s largest economy has traditionally played in humanitarian assistance.
