Since its founding as a nation in 1971, the UAE has extended generous support to other countries to advance their own development goals. This commitment to global peace and prosperity comes in many forms, including that of advocacy, partnership building, and the provision of foreign aid. Following the direction set by the nation’s founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, UAE foreign assistance expresses openness to the world in line with the belief that contributions to the peace, security, and prosperity of other countries can strengthen all in return. Since 2013, the UAE has topped the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s table of the largest donors in terms of official development assistance as a share of gross national income. UAE aid flows from over forty organizations to 150 countries and reaches millions of people.
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The UAE has become the nerve centre of global humanitarian response. And it's by design in a country whose founding fathers were keen to harness their energies to serve human development. Whether it’s responding to humanitarian needs in trouble spots, or medical emergencies triggered by on-going COVID-19 pandemic, the UAE’s role in providing logistics support, warehousing as well as the country’s practice of generosity shows in the numbers.
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The UAE's aid has only humanitarian objectives. It is neither governed by politics nor is not limited by geography, race, colour or religion of the beneficiary. This is a practical application of the principle of tolerance in the UAE. This policy was laid down by the founder President of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan who stressed that foreign aid and assistance is one of the basic pillars of UAE foreign policy. Above, a plane loaded with relief material from UAE's Red Crescent Society in Mashhad.
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The United Arab Emirates has perfected the art of launching charity campaigns, raising funds in a few days and dispatching aid to the needy in a timely fashion. The ‘100 Million Meals’ campaign was launched by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on April 11, 2021. The objective was to raise funds to prepare 100 million meals for poor families in 30 countries in Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe and South America this Ramadan. In just 10 days, the target of raising Dh100 million was achieved, thanks to the generosity of UAE business houses, citizens and expatriates.
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In Vision 2021, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, set the goal for the UAE to become one of the most developed countries in the world by the time its fiftieth anniversary as a country occurs in 2021. In this vein, the UAE’s foreign assistance policy aims to make the UAE one of the most prominent partners and donors to developing countries by 2021, both in the generosity and effectiveness of our assistance. By the time the UAE celebrates its Golden Jubilee, Emiratis will have demonstrably aided other peoples in achieving sustainable development, and we will celebrate our contributions to the world together with our achievements at home.
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In 2014 implementing the directives of the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to provide urgent food and medical assistance to those affected by famine in Tharparkar district of Pakistan, the UAE Pakistan Assistance Programme (UAE PAP) mobilised 1,500 tonnes of basic food aid, including infant formula, to be distributed among 20,000 needy families.
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The UAE's humanitarian efforts during COVID-19. Above, an aid plane carrying approximately 10 tonnes of medical supplies was dispatched to Italy. It benefitted over 10,000 healthcare professionals. The supplies enabled the medical staff to perform safely their professional duties in combating the virus’ spread.
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UAE Aircraft with relief goods for Afghan refugees in 2001.
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UAE Red Crescent Authority officials distributing relief supplies to Somalis in 2002.
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In 2018 , the Emirates Red Crescent, ERC, delivered 2000 baskets of essential food items to people in the Matina area of Yemen's Red Sea Coast District of Tahita, as part of the UAE humanitarian response to provide urgent food assistance to people in liberated areas in the Governorate of Hodeidah and to alleviate their suffering.
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30th August, 2020: A UAE aid ship carrying food and school supplies has arrived at the Port of Al Mukalla in Yemen, in support of the people of Hadramaut.The gesture comes as part of the UAE's sea relief bridges through its humanitarian arm, the Emirates Red Crescent, which has implemented a number of relief, development and health projects in support of Yemen and its people.The beneficiaries thanked the UAE and the ERC for their continuous efforts in Yemen by delivering thousands of tons of food and relief aid to ease their suffering.
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The Cuban Government held an official ceremony in the country's capital, Havana, to coincide with the arrival of UAE medical aid in June 2020. The UAE dispatched an aid plane carrying eight metric tonnes of medical supplies to support Cuba in curbing the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
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A UAE plane carrying 40 metric tonnes of critical medical and food supplies as well as nutritional supplements for kids arrived in Beirut in support of the victims of the massive explosion that rocked the Lebanese capital in August 2020. The urgent humanitarian aid comes in implementation of the directives of the His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and under the follow-up of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region, Chairman of the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC).
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