ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 10th May, 2020) H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, has underscored the UAE’s commitment to cooperating with the UN World Food Programme, WFP, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a letter to David Beasley, WFP Executive Director, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah expressed the country’s deep appreciation of the joint UAE-WFP airbridge established in recent days to ensure supply chain continuity for essential medical and humanitarian cargo and services needed across Europe, Asia, and Africa.
"The agreement forms a key part of the UAE’s commitment to global solidarity in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. We believe that multilateral cooperation will be essential to both stopping the virus’ spread and managing recovery in close coordination with bilateral efforts," H.H. remarked.
Sheikh Abdullah highlighted the UAE’s contributions to the global response to COVID-19, outlining the country’s support for the COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan and regular contributions to World Health Organisation operations in China, Somalia, and Ethiopia, among others.
Emphasising the UAE’s coordination with international organisations to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian cargo, H.H. referenced Dubai’s International Humanitarian City, IHC, which has processed more than 132 shipments of aid to 98 countries. Moreover, he said, more than 80 percent of the World Health Organisation’s distribution of personal protective equipment worldwide has transited through the IHC.
H.H. also noted the UAE’s in-kind donation of lifesaving medical and food aid to countries in need. To date, the UAE has provided more than 455 tonnes of aid to over 41 countries, assisting nearly 455,000 medical professionals in the process.
Sheikh Abdullah concluded by reinforcing the UAE’s pledge to continue strengthening cooperation with the WFP and other international organisations in order to alleviate humanitarian suffering and bolster the efforts of fragile communities to combat COVID-19.
