UAE allocates $70 million to UN humanitarian agencies in Sudan
June 17, 2024 (ABU DHABI) – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has committed $70 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan, fulfilling 70% of its $100 million pledge made at the Paris International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan and Neighbouring Countries last April.
In a statement released in Abu Dhabi on Monday, the UAE indicated that the funds will be allocated to various UN agencies and humanitarian organizations working to alleviate the crisis in Sudan.
Key recipients of this aid include the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and World Health Organization (WHO).
The aid will be used for food and health services, livelihood support, emergency shelter, and protection of women.
Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation, emphasized the UAE’s unwavering commitment to supporting the Sudanese people. She highlighted the UAE’s establishment of an air bridge to deliver aid and its provision of $130 million in humanitarian aid to date.
The UAE has also supported refugee camps in Chad and South Sudan, dispatched medical supplies, and built two field hospitals in Chad.
Martin Griffiths, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, expressed deep gratitude for the UAE’s generous support and acknowledged its pivotal role in bolstering lifesaving efforts in Sudan.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi and WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain also thanked the UAE for its contribution, highlighting the urgent need for aid and its impact on vulnerable populations.
The Gulf country is accused of supporting the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group that committed mass atrocities and war crimes during the 14-month conflict in Sudan in various regions particularly, Khartoum, Al-Jazirah states and Darfur region.
The UAE denies that claim. Also, the Emirati minister reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire and a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Sudan, emphasizing the need for joint efforts to end the conflict and establish stability in the country.