Tuesday, December 1, 2015

$16B in humanitarian aid

ABU DHABI – Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of International Cooperation and Development (MICAD) and Head of the UAE Committee for Coordination of Humanitarian Foreign Aid, has said that the UAE's foreign aid to 140 countries touched AED60 billion (US$16 billion) from 2010-2014.
Sheikha Lubna made the remarks at Fairmont Bab Al Bahr Hotel Abu Dhabi while meeting with more than 60 Arab and foreign journalists, hosted by the National Media Council (NMC) on the occasion of the celebrations of UAE's 44th National Day celebration. She added that the ministry is launching a new humanitarian aid policy at the beginning of 2016.
The minister indicated that the UAE, in line with the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, directives of the wise leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, delivers a noble humanitarian message to the whole world.
Sheikha Lubna stressed that the humanitarian assistance provided by the UAE to the all peoples worldwide is unconditional, being part of the UAE people and leadership values and culture to assist those in need.
She added that this concept was developed in the recent years in the light of famines, diseases and displacement of millions of people from their countries and homes across the world as a result of conflicts and natural disasters.
Sheikha Lubna noted that the UAE’s aid is distributed through its humanitarian bodies, such as Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), which operates in many countries to provide assistance to the underprivileged. It also co-operates with other international humanitarian bodies such as UNICEF, UNRWA and others the refugee host countries.
She added that UAE's humanitarian aid will not be affected by the dropping of oil prices, noting that "The UAE has a clear humanitarian commitment as well as an economic policy based on diversification of income sources, which protects it from dependence on oil as the sole source of income."
The minister said that the UAE is a major donor to the people of Yemen with total $320 million in aid. It will also commit $130 million through ERC and other relief agencies in Yemen.


Image by: www.emirates247.com

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