The UAE has delivered critical medical care to 75,000 Gazans and evacuated 3,000 more patients and their families for treatment in the country under a multibillion-dirham aid mission.
The steadfast support of Palestine – as it struggles with a humanitarian crisis fuelled by the two-year conflict with Israel – has contributed to the UAE being ranked the world's third largest aid donor this year.
The Emirates provided $1.46 billion of financial assistance to alleviate wars, disasters and other crises across the globe in 2025, according to latest figures from the UN's Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Unocha) Financial Tracking Service.
The UAE this year pledged $550 million for the UN's Global Humanitarian Overview, which aims to raise $33 billion next year to help 135 million people.
The UAE had gave Dh9.4 billion in aid to Gaza since the start of the war in October, 2023 up to this month, including more than 100,000 tonnes of supplies and two million gallons of water.
The UAE's field hospital in Gaza has treated about 54,000 patients, with another 21,000 being given crucial care at the floating hospital docked at Al Arish in Egypt, state news agency Wam reported.
Global quest
Meanwhile, the UAE's aid for Sudan since 2023, when a deadly civil war broke out, has reached $784 million. The UAE has provided $4.24 billion to the African country since 2015.
In Yemen, the Emirates has committed $1 billion to advance the country's energy sector, including renewable power plants in Aden and Shabwa designed to serve over a million homes.
It also provided relief aid, including Ramadan meals, flood assistance for 960 families, food distributions and education support, as well as a WHO-backed initiative in Socotra to combat malnutrition.
The UAE's mediation efforts have also enabled the exchange of 4,641 prisoners between Russia and Ukraine, while the country's aid agency has signed a $4.5 million agreement to develop orphanage care centres in Ukraine.
Show of solidarity
This year, the UAE has also sent 700 tonnes of food supplies to Somalia, more than 1,000 tonnes to Chad to assist 150,000 flood victims, and conducted winter relief campaigns in Albania and Bangladesh.
Specialised UAE relief teams supported humanitarian efforts in Myanmar, the Philippines, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, and $10 million was pledged to help countries across Asia and the Pacific respond to natural disasters.
The UAE also signed an agreement to build a fully integrated eye hospital in Uganda, at a cost of $20 million and allocated a $64.5 million grant to support Al-Makassed Hospital in East Jerusalem.
It also signed an agreement to build the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Hospital and a dialysis centre in N’Djamena, Chad.
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives pledged Dh36.7 million to UN programmes supporting displaced communities, while the UAE's Digital School, in partnership with the ATAYA Initiative, launched Skills Academies to train five million young people in Africa in labour market skills.
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
It’ll be summer in the city as car show tries to move with the times
If 2008 was the year that rocked Detroit, 2019 will be when Motor City gives its annual car extravaganza a revamp that aims to move with the times.
A major change is that this week's North American International Auto Show will be the last to be held in January, after which the event will switch to June.
The new date, organisers said, will allow exhibitors to move vehicles and activities outside the Cobo Center's halls and into other city venues, unencumbered by cold January weather, exemplified this week by snow and ice.
In a market in which trends can easily be outpaced beyond one event, the need to do so was probably exacerbated by the decision of Germany's big three carmakers – BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi – to skip the auto show this year.
The show has long allowed car enthusiasts to sit behind the wheel of the latest models at the start of the calendar year but a more fluid car market in an online world has made sales less seasonal.
Similarly, everyday technology seems to be catching up on those whose job it is to get behind microphones and try and tempt the visiting public into making a purchase.
Although sparkly announcers clasp iPads and outline the technical gadgetry hidden beneath bonnets, people's obsession with their own smartphones often appeared to offer a more tempting distraction.
“It's maddening,” said one such worker at Nissan's stand.
The absence of some pizzazz, as well as top marques, was also noted by patrons.
“It looks like there are a few less cars this year,” one annual attendee said of this year's exhibitors.
“I can't help but think it's easier to stay at home than to brave the snow and come here.”
