ABU DHABI // The UAE's primary humanitarian organisation, the Red Crescent Authority, said yesterday a cargo plane with relief items would leave for Haiti on Wednesday. A Red Crescent delegation should depart tomorrow for the Dominican Republic, from where they will co-ordinate the movement of relief items into Haiti. The Red Crescent team, lead by Humaid al Shamsi, the director of relief, will purchase food, tents and other items from the local market to transport into Haiti, according to Abdul Rahman al Tunaigi, a spokesman.
Ahmed al Mazroui, the chairman of the Red Crescent board, said the sheer scope of the disaster increased the urgency for greater co-ordination of the international aid effort. The authority is working with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Also yesterday, Etisalat announced a "75-per-cent discounted rate" for all calls and text messages to Haiti. zconstantine@thenational.ae