The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) have signed a US$2.5 million agreement to enhance water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services for Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, aiming to improve essential infrastructure and public health amid mounting humanitarian pressures.

The agreement was signed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, by Eng. Ahmed bin Ali Al-Baiz, KSrelief Assistant Supervisor General for Operations and Programs, and Othman Belbeisi, IOM Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

The project will strengthen safe, dignified and sustainable WASH services in areas supported by IOM by combining emergency service delivery with long-term infrastructure improvements.

Planned activities include upgrading solar-powered water supply networks, constructing and rehabilitating decentralized wastewater treatment systems, improving faecal sludge collection and transfer networks, and renovating latrines and bathing facilities across Rohingya refugee camps.

The initiative will also distribute water containers, colour-coded waste bins and hygiene management kits while expanding community engagement and targeted training programs to strengthen local capacity and encourage sustainable management of WASH services.

“This agreement reflects the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s continued commitment, through KSrelief, to supporting humanitarian responses with practical and sustainable solutions,” said Eng. Ahmed bin Ali Al-Baiz. “By strengthening essential water and sanitation infrastructure and introducing environmentally effective waste management, the project will help protect public health and improve daily living conditions within the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar.”

The agreement comes as humanitarian agencies face severe funding shortages while ageing infrastructure, overcrowded camps and limited space continue to place increasing pressure on water and sanitation systems.

According to IOM, persistent gaps in water supply, faecal sludge management, solid waste management and access to hygiene materials risk undermining progress achieved in recent years.

“KSrelief’s support will enable IOM to ensure the delivery of essential services while investing in systems that are safer, more efficient and more sustainable,” said Othman Belbeisi. “This partnership moves beyond short-term assistance by improving durable WASH infrastructure and introducing innovative solutions.”

The project builds on an earlier phase funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), linking emergency hygiene assistance with long-term improvements to water and sanitation infrastructure.

IOM and KSrelief have maintained a long-standing humanitarian partnership supporting emergency response, recovery and sustainable development initiatives in multiple crisis settings worldwide.

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