UAE pledges $8 million grant for refugees in East Africa

The UAE International Aid Agency has signed a cooperation agreement with the Norwegian Refugee Council to provide assistance to refugees in East Africa, contributing with a grant of $8 million.

The UAE also aims to expand the scope of aid delivered to populations affected by conflicts, and supporting host communities for refugees in Ethiopia, Uganda, and other countries in the region.

The agreement was signed by Rashid Salem Al Shamsi, Executive Director of Logistics Support at the UAE Aid Agency, and Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, in the presence of Fatema Khamis Salem Khalfan Al Mazrouei, UAE Ambassador to Norway. 

Dr. Al Ameri affirmed “the UAE’s commitment to supporting refugees who have been forcibly displaced from their homes in East Africa due to ongoing conflicts, which represent some of the world’s worst humanitarian crises."

He highlighted the importance of the agreement in leveraging the operational expertise of the Norwegian Refugee Council in assisting displaced people and in providing basic services such as shelter, clean water, sanitation, and education, in addition to offering protection to vulnerable groups, including women and children.