Britain donates Dh5 million to Sheikh Mohammed's tropical disease fund

'This is an excellent example of how our countries can work together to improve lives of the world’s poorest people,' said the UK's Middle East minister Alistair Burt

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed said "we have almost eradicated polio and we expect to eradicate Guinea worm disease and river blindness". Asim Hafeez / The National

The UK Government has announced that it is contributing Dh5 million to the Reaching the Last Mile Fund, the initiative led by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE's Armed Forces.

The announcement was made on Saturday by the UK Minister for the Middle East, Alistair Burt during a meeting with Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Alistair Burt said: "I am delighted to be able to announce that the UK will be contributing GBP 1 million (Dh5 million) to the Reaching the Last Mile Fund to help control or eliminate neglected tropical diseases so that people do not suffer any longer from needless pain and disfigurement.

"The UK and UAE are both generous contributors of humanitarian aid, and this is an excellent example of how our countries can work together to use our humanitarian and development expertise to improve lives of the world’s poorest people."

The Reaching the Last Mile Fund is personally supported by Sheikh Mohammed. It is working in seven priority countries - Chad, Ethiopia, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Sudan and Yemen - and on two diseases; river blindness and lymphatic filariasis.

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