UAE recognised as leader in humanitarian aid
(MENAFN- Emirates News Agency (WAM))
BU DHABI 4th August 2015 (WAM) - Two of the United Arab Emirates' English dailies focused their editorials today on the humanitarian efforts made by the UAE to help the people of Yemen Afghanistan and other parts of the world.
The Abu Dhabi-based 'The National' said he people of Yemen are in need of our support both in the short and long term. This is why it has been heart-warming to witness the public's engagement this week with the Emirates Red Crescent Society's recently launched Yemen: We Care campaign. The humanitarian appeal has raised tens of millions of dirhams with donations being made online and at banks malls and offices across the country. But this fund-raising drive is only the beginning of a long journey.
As Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed the Ruler's Representative in the Western Region and chairman of the ERC noted this week there are historic ties that bind the UAE and Yemen. The smooth transition of our Arabian Peninsula neighbours from a conflict-ridden state into a safe stable and prosperous country relies on our understanding of those ties and a recognition of Yemen's requirement for development support and military backup the paper said.
"The UAE's already generous humanitarian response to the crisis in Yemen had reached Dh744 million last month according to a report by the Ministry of International Cooperation and Development. The price of stability in Yemen will inevitably be far higher than that but a safe and prosperous Yemen will also deliver a more stable region" it added.
The Dubai-based 'Gulf News' said it is an important recognition of the UAE's substantial role in global affairs that the United Nations has asked it to help repatriate as many as 100000 Afghan refugees back to their home country and help reintegrate them back into society.
"Millions of Afghans fled the decades of violence in Afghanistan followed by the grim Taliban regime and then the decade of fighting the Taliban by the Afghan forces and their Nato allies" the paper noted.
It added that when the US invaded Afghanistan to topple the Taliban the UAE was one of first countries to set up large and well-run camps in remote parts of Pakistan to cope with the wave of families fleeing the fighting many of whom have been forced to stay there ever since.
"Other crises have since emerged in Iraq Syria Libya and other failing states which have created their own millions of refugees but the Afghan refugees are still there and still need help. It is important that the world stands by the unfortunate souls caught up in violence and the UAE has a proud record of being one of the foremost in giving help where it is needed" it concluded.
WAM/bashir