When Humanitarian Intentions Alone Are Not Enough

 

·        Relief campaign for the earthquake victims in Syria and Turkey under the slogan (Aghithu Hum) for 2023

Committee "Agh* * y* for Relief Work in for the year 2023 Turkey earthquake victims and Syria for the year 2023 CE

-         I reviewed the report of the "General Directorate for Oversight of Social and Cultural Services" contained in the annual report of the State Audit and Administrative Control Bureau (SAACB) for 2025, an audit of compliance regarding the relief campaign for the earthquake victims in Syria and Turkey under the slogan (Aghithu Hum), where the examination and audit included: analysis of financial documents, interviews with officials, review of meeting minutes, and inspection of mechanisms for collecting donations, managing funds, and implementing the campaign for the year 2023.

-         The campaign aims to provide urgent humanitarian support to those affected by the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria by collecting donations and assistance to meet the basic needs of the victims; the campaign also aimed to embody the spirit of humanitarian and Islamic solidarity between the Palestinian people and the affected peoples, and to highlight the role of the Ministry of Awqaf in directing charitable and relief work within an organized and transparent framework that reflects the values of mutual support and cooperation.

-         Among the most significant observations and violations that the report cited were the following:

·        Violations in the planning and preparation for implementing the campaign: It was observed that there was no preliminary study or approved plan that included the objectives, needs, and target groups, and there was no approval from the Council of Ministers to announce the campaign fundraising idea. At the same time, the tasks and responsibilities of the members of the higher committee supervising the campaign were not defined, in addition to a lack of documentation of its work and meetings. As for the budget approved for the campaign, the report explained that there was no approved budget with specified line items and no timetable for the mechanism to implement the "Aghithuhum" campaign!

-         Violations in the procedures for collecting donations:   The SAACB report observed noncompliance with signing donation collection authorizations according to proper procedures (recipient’s signature, mosque imam’s signature, muezzin’s signature). As for currency transfers, it was observed that there was no clear voucher or a specific need stated as the reason for the transfer, and not all transferred currencies were used. The report also pointed to differences and inconsistencies in donation collection mechanisms between directorates! It was deposited the donations into the bank account of the General Directorate of Zakat, and they were not deposited into a bank account dedicated to the campaign!

·        As for the violations regarding the donation campaign and the distribution of aid: they were as follows:

1-     The campaign did not achieve its objectives as an emergency and rapid response to relieve the victims, as the implementation rate was 49.5%, and 50.5% of the campaign funds were not distributed, with an amount of 4,131,040 shekels recorded in the ministry’s account at the time of preparing the report!

2-     The ministry violated the campaign’s objectives by allocating $32,100 for needy Palestinian students in Turkish universities!

3-     A supply agreement was signed for sleeping bags in the amount of 1,800,000 shekels through direct purchase, without approval from the Council of Ministers!

4-     The agreement’s clauses lacked penalty clauses and there was an absence of performance guarantees or accurate handover minutes!

5-     No alternative bids were solicited to obtain more economically efficient alternatives and timely supply!

6-     There was weakness in price estimation and absence of technical and financial evaluation of the offers!

7-     The report noted an amount of 496,430 Turkish lira from the Takafol campaign and an amount of $32,100 from the "Aghithu Hum" campaign at the Palestinian Embassy in Turkey, allocated for assisting university students in Turkey and Northern Cyprus, which had not been disbursed as of the audit date!

8-     The amount was disbursed in the name of the Director General of Zakat to be delivered to the Palestinian Embassy in Turkey, instead of transferring the amount directly to the embassy’s account or any other official entity!

9-     The distribution of food basket assistance in Syria to earthquake victims was not proper and fair!

10-            There was an absence of an effective role for internal control to follow up on and implement the campaign, as no reports or evaluations concerning the campaign were submitted!

·        Violations in collecting donations in favor of the Islamic Charity Association

1-     Collecting donations in favor of a charity association without the approval of the Ministry of Interior, contrary to the Fundraising for Social and Charitable Purposes Regulation No. (26) of 2022.

2-     A conflict of interest existed in collecting donations, insofar as the chairman of the association’s board of directors was the Minister of Awqaf and Religious Affairs at that time!

3-     Amounts of money collected for the benefit of Quran memorization centers were transferred to the association, contrary to the purpose announced in the circular!

·        The SAACB report recommended substantive recommendations in order to correct the situation and avoid such violations in the future, the most important of which were:

1-     Conduct a comprehensive preliminary study for any campaign that includes the objectives, target groups, collection and transfer mechanisms, and have it approved by the Council of Ministers; define the tasks and responsibilities of the higher committee supervising campaigns; unify donation collection procedures across directorates in terms of collection, deposit, and organizing minutes and collection authorizations; open a separate bank account for each campaign or for campaigns without merging them with the ministry’s accounts, and perform periodic bank reconciliations; commit to directing donation funds only to the predetermined humanitarian objectives and to meeting the needs of the targeted groups. Complete the disbursement of the remaining amounts recorded in the ministry’s accounts toward humanitarian and charitable objectives for eligible groups, and do not spend them on the ministry’s private expenses; adhere to all legal and administrative procedures followed before signing any agreements or supply contracts with companies. Activate and enhance the role of internal control in monitoring campaigns, verifying distribution, detecting errors and addressing them to increase transparency and efficiency. Adhere to obtaining a donation collection permit from the Ministry of Interior when collecting on behalf of associations. And ensure fairness and transparency in the distribution of donations, and have procedures to guarantee transparency, integrity and to prevent conflicts of interest in the management and collection of donations.

·        The Ministry of Awqaf responded positively to the SAACB report as the report indicates...., and announced its commitment to implement the recommendations; the challenge now is to convert this commitment into practical measures that ensure future humanitarian campaigns are faster, more efficient, and more transparent.!

·        Successful humanitarian work is not measured only by the amount of money raised, but by the extent to which it reaches beneficiaries at the appropriate time, and by institutions’ ability to manage donors’ trust in a way that achieves the highest levels of integrity and governance!