Switzerland: The United Arab Emirates and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have agreed on a $20 million contribution from the UAE to support UNHCR’s humanitarian efforts in Sudan and neighbouring countries. This funding aims to improve the living conditions and safety of displaced persons and refugees.
The agreement, formalized between the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and UNHCR, was signed on behalf of the UAE by Sultan Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister for International Development Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and on the behalf of UNHCR by Mark Manly, Head of Donor Relations and Resource Mobilization Services, and in the presence of Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs and Filippo Grandi, the High Commissioner for Refugees at the UNHCR headquarters in Geneva.
Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs, remarked that, “Our commitment to humanitarian causes is reinforced through strategic partnerships such as this one with UNHCR. Together, we can make a significant impact on the ground in Sudan, providing relief and hope to the most vulnerable. We remain steadfast in standing with the people of Sudan during this crisis.”
She added: “We look forward to working with other partners to ensure the commitments made in Paris are made tangible on the ground.”
The UAE has committed a total of $70 million to use UN agencies and humanitarian organizations to address the pressing humanitarian needs in Sudan, including the UNHCR.
A significant amount of the $100 million contribution made by the UAE at the “International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan and Neighbouring Countries” in April is being funded by this source. With this payment, Sudan has received aid from the UAE totaling more than $3.5 billion over the last ten years.