UAE Allocates US$5 Million to Support Sudan Humanitarian Fund in Partnership with UN
New York, The Gulf Observer: The United Arab Emirates has formalized an agreement with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to allocate US$5 million to the Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF). The agreement was signed by Sultan Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister for International Development Affairs, on behalf of the UAE, and Edem Wosornu, Director of the Operations and Advocacy Division at OCHA. The signing ceremony took place at the UAE Mission to the UN in New York, attended by Lana Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister for Political Affairs and Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, expressed gratitude for the UAE’s substantial support. “We are deeply grateful to the Government and the people of the United Arab Emirates for your generous support of $70 million to help bring relief to the people of Sudan through the United Nations. With this allocation, we can bolster our lifesaving support to families and communities caught up in Sudan’s unprecedented humanitarian crisis,” Griffiths stated.
The UAE’s contribution to the SHF, managed by OCHA, aims to facilitate immediate access to crucial funds to address the most urgent humanitarian needs and emergencies in Sudan, in alignment with the annual Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP).
Lana Nusseibeh highlighted the UAE’s enduring commitment to Sudan. “The UAE’s long-term support to Sudan is a testament to our dedication to fostering a prosperous Sudan and promoting stability in the region. We are pleased to partner with OCHA and other UN agencies to deliver vital aid to those most impacted,” she said.
Nusseibeh reiterated the UAE’s call for peace in Sudan, stating, “I reiterate the UAE’s unwavering position to call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, and a peaceful solution to the crisis. There is no military solution to this war – the parties to the conflict must return to the negotiating table. To that end, the UAE will continue to engage with all relevant stakeholders and support any process that aims to set Sudan on a political path to reach a lasting settlement and achieve a national consensus for forming a government where civilians participate and lead.”
The UAE’s contribution to OCHA is part of a broader commitment of $70 million dedicated to addressing urgent humanitarian needs in Sudan through UN agencies and humanitarian organizations. This funding forms a substantial portion of the $100 million pledge made by the UAE in April at the ‘International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan and Neighbouring Countries’. Over the past decade, the UAE has provided more than $3.5 billion in aid to Sudan.
The UAE emphasizes that the priority is to ensure the protection of civilians and civilian facilities, facilitate humanitarian assistance through multiple routes into the country and across conflict lines, and ensure the delivery of aid to those most in need, particularly the most vulnerable populations.
