UNHCR staff load pallets of supplies into 31 containers destined for relief efforts in Syria and surrounding countries, where millions have been displaced since the civil war broke out four years ago. Antonie Robertson / The National
UNHCR staff load pallets of supplies into 31 containers destined for relief efforts in Syria and surrounding countries, where millions have been displaced since the civil war broke out four years ago. Antonie Robertson / The National
UNHCR staff load pallets of supplies into 31 containers destined for relief efforts in Syria and surrounding countries, where millions have been displaced since the civil war broke out four years ago. Antonie Robertson / The National
UNHCR staff load pallets of supplies into 31 containers destined for relief efforts in Syria and surrounding countries, where millions have been displaced since the civil war broke out four years ago.

UAE

Dh114m in relief aid shipped by UNHCR Dubai last year

The UNHCR’S Dubai’s relief stockpile increased by 35 per cent last year to meet the growing demands of humanitarian emergencies around the world.

The National staff

March 03, 2015

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DUBAI // The UNHCR’S Dubai’s relief stockpile increased by 35 per cent last year to meet the growing demands of humanitarian emergencies around the world.

The value of outbound “core relief” items has been estimated at about US$31 million (Dh114 million).

About 88 shipments of 2,773 containers were sent to 37 countries around the world last year on 24 emergency charter flights.

The shipments included 1.1 million blankets, 760,000 sleeping mats, 334,000 mosquito nets and other items.

The leading recipients of relief items were in Syria, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Pakistan, Ukraine and Myanmar.

Almost half of all shipments were sent to Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Turkey and Lebanon to help the 3.8 million internally and internationally displaced Syrians in refugee camps in the region.

“It is under the wise leadership and foresight of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE’s Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, that the [International Humanitarian City] was established.

“It has proven to be an indispensable form of support to UNHCR’s emergency response mechanism and global humanitarian operations,” said Amin Awad, UNHCR’s bureau director for Middle East and North Africa. The UNHCR stockpile in the UAE was established in late 2006 as part of the IHC as an initiative by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.

Shaimaa Al Zarooni, IHC chief executive, said: “The IHC is very proud to host the UNHCR’s largest global stockpile as part of our ongoing cooperation and join commitment towards assisting vulnerable populations worldwide.”

newsdesk@thenational.ae

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