Gaza Humanitarian Appeal

Dear all,

As you already know, Gaza has endured several weeks of relentless shelling from Israel, resulting in unspeakable loss of life and widespread displacement of Palestinian people.  With thousands of lives lost in Gaza as of today afternoon and with every reason to believe the devastation will continue, I am reaching out to ask for your help. 

The ongoing blockade has exacerbated this humanitarian crisis to breaking point, limiting the flow of essential supplies into Gaza. Millions of people are now in desperate need, and the question is how we ensure that the aid sent is the aid received by those inside Gaza.  

Today, I am reaching out in my capacity as a trustee of Crown Agents International Development (CAID), the charity within Crown Agents. We are a not-for-profit organisation that reaches over 100 million people a year in 101 countries in health systems strengthening, supply chain and procurement, climate and energy and humanitarian crisis response.

In response to the crisis in Gaza, Crown Agents and UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees) have entered into a partnership to procure and deliver vital medicines to the Egyptian border urgently. This ensures that these supplies are readily available in Cairo or Rafah whenever an opportunity arises to transport them into Gaza.  

Crown Agents are in the process of raising $5.5m for the procurement and inspection of much-needed medicine and delivering them to the people of Gaza. Crown Agents’ track record in responding to emergencies, such as the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, the COVID-19 pandemic, the conflict in Ukraine and the earthquake in Syria, has demonstrated their ability to swiftly procure essential medicines and efficiently deliver them to the most remote locations beyond question. 

Crown Agents, a globally recognised and award-winning procurement organisation, has a subsidiary called Greenshields Cowie that specialises solely in freight and forwarding, even in the most challenging environments on the planet. Greenshields hold the necessary MHRA license to transport medicines, especially for controlled drugs that are much needed in Gaza and with few others who can access and deliver them. I am writing to ask that you join us and help by sending your medicines and those we have already secured.  

Would you be happy to speak to a representative from UNRWA and the Crown Agents’ procurement team who can provide additional insights into our plans and efforts to provide essential support? Copied is Keith Kibirango, CEO of Crown Agents International Development, who is on hand to follow up. 

I hope to hear from you soon, as your help could make a profound difference to those in desperate need during these trying times. I’ve attached a sample list of the medicines we've received from UNRWA and an overview of Crown Agents’ core competencies in procurement and delivery.  

Kind Regards 

Tim Ash

Trustee – Crown Agents International Development

Kind regards,

Keith Kibirango MCIOF (Dip)/

Chief Executive

Crown Agents International Development (CAID)

Email:Keith.Kibirango@crownagents.co.uk

Telephone: +44 7827826586