When Did Saudi Arabia Join UNICEF?

Fifteen years after the establishment of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia signed its first cooperation agreement with the agency, specifically on July 4, 1961. The agency continued to provide support to the Kingdom through its regional office in Beirut, Lebanon, until 1975, when UNICEF opened a liaison office in Riyadh. This office was upgraded to a country office in 1981, and then to the Gulf Area Office in 1987, by merging the country offices in Bahrain, the Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates. The Gulf Area Office became responsible for UNICEF's activities in the three countries, in addition to Kuwait.

UNICEF was established by a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly in 1946, with the aim of providing supplies and assistance to the world's children after World War II. The organization's work spans 190 countries and territories worldwide to protect the rights of every child and to promote the rights and well-being of every child. It focuses on reaching vulnerable and marginalized children, recognizing the importance of development during early childhood and adolescence, and works to ensure equality for those facing discrimination.