By Bernd Debusmann Jr. (Senior Reporter)/Dubai www.khaleejtimes.com
The United Nations reached out to the UAE to help generate fund that could help close $15b shortfall in global humanitarian aid on Sunday.
In an exceptional move, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon unveiled a report in Dubai on Sunday, which highlighted a need for an additional $15 billion to meet the growing humanitarian needs of victims in conflict zones around the world.
The report, entitled “Too important to fail – addressing the humanitarian financial gap”, noted that the $25 billion currently spent on providing humanitarian aid to an estimated 125 million people globally, is insufficient to meet the rapidly increasing numbers of people in need.
The report also noted that Muslim majority countries are disproportionately affected by war, with 31 of 33 active conflicts taking place in those countries.
Among those on hand at Sunday’s event in the International Humanitarian City (IHC) was His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, Chairperson of IHC.
Shaikh Mohammed stressed that the UAE, led by The President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has become a global humanitarian leader and one of the world’s most generous supporters of international humanitarian causes.
Thanking the United Nations and its secretary-general for launching the report in the UAE, Shaikh Mohammed stressed that the UAE continues to establish itself as a global humanitarian capital. More info
