UAE gives Dh55 million urgent relief to Palestinians in Syria

The United Arab Emirates has provided Dh55 million worth of urgent relief to Palestinians in Syria as part of its second commitment taken during the Kuwait Second International Pledging Conference for the Arab Republic early this year.

The grant will benefit 361,300 Palestinian victims, representing 92,200 displaced Palestinian families inside Syria through United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

According to the Ministry of International Cooperation and Development, MICAD, this new amount is part of the second commitment taken by the UAE during the Kuwait Second International Pledging Conference for Syria early 2014.

The overall pledge was Dh220 million. Directives from the UAE’s wise leadership were issued to allocate the whole amount for the Syrian refugees to alleviate the suffering of brotherly Syrians and as a response to the Syrian Humanitarian Assistance Response Plan (SHARP) for the benefit of “people inside Syria” and the UN Syria Regional Response Plan for Syrian refugees in “the neighboring countries,” through the UN organizations and humanitarian programs.

Shaikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of International Cooperation and Development and Head of the National Committee for the Coordination of Foreign Aid and Pierre Krahenbuhl, the UNRWA’s Commissioner-General signed the agreement.

Shaikha Lubna on the occasion stated that the UAE leadership deals with the issue of Palestinian refugees as part of a historical commitment towards the Palestinian issue with all its dimensions and roots.

“The UAE historical role in giving support and assistance to our Palestinian brothers is part of the country’s humanitarian commitments and long term affiliation in supporting Arab brothers and all victims of humanitarian crises worldwide, including the Syrian crisis,” she said.

On the occasion of signing a Cooperation Agreement whereby the UAE grants the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) the sum of USD15 million (Dh55 million) to secure food assistance to Palestinian refugees inside Syria, victimized by the Syrian crisis.

Shaikha Lubna extended utmost appreciation to the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his continuous directives to allocate all possible assistance and support to the Palestinian refugees in Syria. She also expressed appreciation for the similar directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and the support and follow-up of General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces as well as the close supervision of Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

“There is an urgent need to provide support and assistance to Palestinian refugees living in camps in Syria as there are great difficulties to face in the delivery of humanitarian aid to them due to prevailing tensions, conflicts and threats that hinder the efforts of relief teams and limit their access. This necessitates cooperation between the UAE and the UN agencies, especially the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) to ensure that the basics of living, especially food, are continuously secured.”

Shaikha Lubna commended the continuous directives of His Highness Shaikh Khalifa to provide support to Palestinian refugees wherever they are. “This generous policy has always been adopted since the foundation of the UAE federation, since then assistance caravans to Palestinian brothers inside Palestine and also in hosting countries never stopped. Schools, hospitals, roads and complete cities were built by the UAE, besides health and food assistance,” she recalled.

Mr Pierre Krahenbuhl on the occasion said, “UNRWA continues to operate wherever Palestine refugees are in need, and the situation for those Palestine refugees in Syria remains as desperate as ever,” he said.

The signing ceremony was attended by Mohamed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Fund for Development and Hazza Mohamed Al Qahtani, MICAD’s Under-Secretary.