Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, directed for urgent relief supplies to be sent to Ndjamena, the capital of Chad, on Saturday.
The aid, intended to support the people of Sudan, was delivered via a Boeing 747 cargo flight and was sent in response to the escalating humanitarian crisis in that country.
The aircraft, which departed from Al Maktoum International Airport at 9am on Saturday, carried 90 tonnes of medical supplies, shelter materials and relief items provided by the World Health Organisation and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
These resources are expected to support more than 70,000 Sudanese people, alleviating their suffering and safeguarding lives in the region.
The cost of the airlift, amounting to $405,000, was fully funded by the Dubai Humanitarian initiative's Global Humanitarian Impact Fund, under the guidance of Sheikh Mohammed.
Watch: Child hunger continues in Sudan as war rumbles on
Giuseppe Saba, chief executive of of Dubai Humanitarian, said: “In these critical moments, the speed of our response can mean the difference between life and death. Our ability to mobilise and deliver aid quickly is a testament to the strong partnerships and unwavering support from the leadership of Dubai.“
News of the relief flight comes after it was announced that the UAE will provide $7 million in support for critical humanitarian efforts in Sudan.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs agreed with the UN children’s fund to provide the funds which underlines the nation's commitment to alleviating the humanitarian crises in these countries, state news agency Wam reported.
It was agreed that $6 million will go towards Unicef’s activities in Sudan, and $1 million in neighbouring country South Sudan.
Civil war has raged in Sudan for more than a year and forced more than six million people, half of whom are children, to leave their homes. It is thought about 13.6 million children currently need urgent assistance.
Over the past decade, the UAE has provided more than $3.5 billion in aid to the Sudanese people. Since the outbreak of the conflict in 2023, the UAE has provided $230 million in humanitarian aid and dispatched 159 relief flights, delivering more than 10,000 tonnes of food, medical, and relief supplies.
Additionally, the UAE has built two field hospitals in Chad, which have provided medical treatment to more than 45,000 people.
The country in April also committed $100m to support humanitarian efforts in Sudan and its neighbouring nations.
The crisis in Sudan - in pictures
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Malnourished Sudanese children are carried by a donkey through a camp in North Kordofan state for people displaced by the war raging across the country. All photos: AFP -
The conflict has displaced more than 10 million people within Sudan, the International Organisation for Migration says. -
The UN estimates that five million Sudanese are suffering from extreme hunger, with countries hosting refugees from the war also facing a lack of food. -
The US has warned hunger in Sudan could reach levels last seen in Ethiopia in the 1980s, when famine killed 1.2 million. -
People wait to receive food cards a camp for internally displaced people in North Kordofan. Sudan's military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been fighting since April last year. -
The UN refugee agency has called for humanitarian access to Sudan to be increased, as the threat of famine looms. -
The UN has warned Sudan faces the world's worst displacement crisis, with little progress in efforts to secure a ceasefire. -
People queue to register for a potential food aid delivery in North Kordofan. Doctors Without Borders says there are 'extreme levels of suffering' across Sudan. -
Huts to provide shelter for displaced people in Rabang. The war has killed tens of thousands in Sudan. -
More than 7.2 million have fled their homes since the war broke out between the military and the RSF, International Organisation for Migration says. -
The US recently pledged $315 million in aid to Sudan and warned the country faces a historic famine. -
A woman braids her sister's hair in the Rabang displacement camp. -
The US is among the countries to push to restart ceasefire talks. -
A child is fed at the malnutrition ward of a hospital in the Nuba Mountains. Sudan is facing the world's worst humanitarian crisis in decades, Doctors Without Borders has warned. -
Global agencies have warned millions are on the brink of starvation in Sudan. -
Girls collect water from a hill after heavy rain near the Rabang displacement camp. -
The family of a bride celebrate in the Nuba Mountains as they prepare to deliver a dowry of porridge and a fermented beverage known as merisa. -
Sudan's worsening hunger crisis has also affected livestock. -
People take the body of a large snake to the Rabang camp. International agencies have issued dire warnings about the threat of famine in Sudan. -
Men ride a camel in South Kordofan state. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi says more food and aid is needed to help people 'that otherwise risk starvation'.
