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UAE companies help boost Pak flood relief

DUBAI — As the UAE and other nations send aid to flood victims in Pakistan, the private sector in the country has started making significant contributions to the effort.

Well equipped to source most of the relief material, companies are making donations in both cash and kind.

Maximus Air Cargo, the UAE’s largest all cargo airline, pledged three cargo flights to Pakistan during the UAE telethon for Pakistan.

The flights will include tents, blankets and drinking supplies for those hit by what is the worst flooding in Pakistan in nearly a century.

Commenting on the pledge, Fathi H. Buhazza, President and CEO of Maximus Air Cargo and Founder of Care by Air, said: “Whether you are a big or small company – we all have a responsibility to donate, to raise the benchmark and take responsibility. If your business is in a position to give then please step forward and help. It will be the most rewarding thing you ever do.”

Assisting in the relief operations, the BMW Group also announced its support with a donation of Dh1 million to Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE).

The funds will be utilised to provide immediate relief and support where it is needed quickly and effectively. “A disaster of this magnitude is huge for any government to deal with and requires active involvement from as many parties as possible. With up to eight million people in need of urgent assistance and medical care, it is essential that we all take responsibility and work collectively towards ensuring Pakistan’s recovery,” said Phil Horton, Managing Director of BMW Group Middle East.

In addition to a corporate donation, BMW Group has set up an internal drive across its global employee network to help make it easy to make personal donations.

Relief is reaching many affected communities however, with an estimated six million people left homeless and a widespread fear of epidemics breaking out, this disaster is still unfolding.

Aramex, the Dubai-based logistics provider, has launched ‘Support Pakistan’, a disaster relief campaign in the UAE. In partnership with Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) and Volunteers in Dubai, Aramex will collect donations and extend logistics support to deliver aid.

Employees at Dubai Aluminium Company Limited (DUBAL) also came forward to show their support to the flood victims.

A collective cheque of Dh120,000 was presented to the UAE Red Crescent as Mohammed Yahya, Manager, Corporate Relations and International Affairs at Dubal lauded the employees’ efforts.

“The multi-cultural environment within our company is conducive to mutual concern. Accordingly, donations came from employees from all of the 40-odd nationalities represented on site,” added Yahya.&

Bank remittances

The Pakistan Consulate in Dubai has opened another bank account to facilitate donors wanting to help Pakistan flood hit victims.

Ajad Ali Sher, Consul-General of Pakistan, has again called upon all expatriates, UAE nationals, welfare organisations and international community &to come forward to support the flood relief efforts in Pakistan and contribute generously to the Relief Fund for the flood victims.

The account has been opened in Habib Bank Limited in addition to an account already operative in United Bank Limited. He said that these bank accounts have been opened according to the provided preliminary guidelines for the facilitation of donors and organisations living in UAE.

“We’re making rapid contacts with individuals and organisations and briefing them about the flood situation and the kind of items required for dealing with this emergency situation in Pakistan,” he said. He said relief activities can only be carried out by helicopters, boats and hovercrafts, while due to hot and humid weather, spread of various types of diseases and epidemic have further compounded the already grave situation. 

$150 million needed  urgently

About $150 million is urgently required by the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) in Dubai to feed flood victims in Pakistan and to cover the operational cost of  airdropping food items to villages under water  and airlifting people and relief goods to safe places. WFP in Dubai has already transported 130 tonnes of high energy biscuits to Pakistan but another 115 tonnes need still to be moved out.

The WFP is coordinating with the UAE Red Crescent and the International Humanitarian City for transporting more food supplies. Rus Aviation airlifted 10.5 tonnes of food in the earlier WFP shipment and would be expected to airlift the same volume again.

Mohamed Diab, Director of Donor Relations in the Middle East and WFP Dubai Office, told Khaleej Times that a telecommunication team left WFP Dubai immediately after the disaster happened.

The team helped to ensure communication between the UN bodies and non government organisations working for the flood victims in Pakistan, he said.

He lauded the UAE government for being among the first to immediately respond to the crisis. “What happened in Pakistan is one of the major disasters that ever occurred, even worst than the tsunami in Asia years back. But, the response from both governments &and private sectors, especially from &the Islamic world, is overwhelming.”

Diab expressed gratitude to the mobilising efforts from all the Middle East countries and elsewhere.

“The UAE was one of first to respond by sending humanitarian goods and donating helicopters to Pakistan government to reach out to the over 20 million displaced families.”

He said the WFP doubled its presence in the area by increasing their offices from seven to 14 in order to support 2.2 million people.

“The WFP is supporting and is increasing its support to reach out to more victims by providing food, coordinating in the airlifting operation, air dropping of food supplies to people in the flooded areas.

He, however, admitted that the gaps are widening because the needs of people continue to increase on a daily basis. “I hope the international community will continue to respond to the food and non-food needs of the people in Pakistan.”

“Unfortunately, these victims did not only lose lives. They have also lost their farms, assets and houses. They have lost their source of livelihood that we should not just respond to delivering health and food needs. We have to continue helping for their recovery and rehabilitation. We have to reconstruct their lives,” Diab said.

He commended the efforts of people here in the Middle East, especially from the governments and private entities of UAE and Saudi Arabia.

“I always believe that humanity in general has been awakened during this crisis of huge magnitude, hence, governments and individuals have spontaneously responded to the crisis.

“This time, more donors are ready to support Pakistan from all over the world to reduce the suffering and to meet the needs of the victims” Diab &said.              — news@khaleejtimes.com