Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid orders airlift of additional aid for Rohingya

Three planes will be loaded with 300 tons of emergency aid items

A Rohingya Muslim woman waits to receive aid during its distribution near Balukhali refugee camp, Bangladesh. Dar Yasin / AP Photo

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid on Monday ordered the airlift of additional humanitarian aid to be delivered the Rohingya refugees.

The donation from the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai comes at a time when Rohinhya Muslims are fleeing to Bangladesh to escape violence in Myanmar.

Three rotations of a B747 relief flight will be loaded with 300 tons of emergency aid items from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, including core relief supplies such as tarpaulins, jerry cans, mosquito nets, sleeping mats, buckets, blankets, and kitchen sets, with the support of International Humanitarian City.

The three upcoming airlifts, coordinated through the IHC, will respond to the needs of nearly 7,620 refugee families who have fled to Bangladesh. The shipments are scheduled to reach Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, on September 26, October 2, and October 11, 2017 respectively.

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On Sunday, Princess Haya bint Al Hussain, wife of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and chairperson of IHC, donated Dh1.4m to support the provision of core-relief items and temporary shelters for more than 13,500 displaced Rohingya. The relief will leave Dubai for Bangladesh on Tuesday morning.

"The plight of Rohingya is appalling and shocking," Princess Haya said. "We hope our contribution to these refugees will help to alleviate their suffering.”

“We are grateful for the timely and generous support offered by His Highness, and the logistical support provided by the International Humanitarian City,” said Toby Harward, head of the UNHCR’s UAE officer.

Workers loading humanitarian aid from the UNHCR warehouses in Dubai to be taken to Bangladesh to support of Rohingya refugees. Satish Kumar for The National

“With the number of refugees rapidly soaring, UNHCR is stepping up the delivery of humanitarian aid to Rohingya refugees who are in desperate need of the most basic subsistence support.”

Two planes have already been dispatched with relief from UNHCR’s stockpiles in the International Humanitarian City in Dubai since the eruption of the latest wave of displacement of Rohingya last August. They transported core relief supplies, emergency shelter items, sleeping mats, blankets, and jerry-cans.

To donate to the UNHCR relief programme, visit donate.unhcr.org/gu-en/rohingya.