UAE continues support for Pakistani relief, reconstruction efforts
UAE reiterates unwavering support for Pakistani relief, reconstruction efforts
The United Arab Emirates participated in the international conference held in Geneva. The conference was organized by the Pakistani government and the United Nations and was attended by Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. to discuss mechanisms to mobilize international support for those affected by last year’s devastating floods in Pakistan and to rebuild infrastructure.
Speaking at the conference, Minister of Climate Change and Environment Mariam bint Mariam Almheiri, who headed the UAE delegation, said her country supports all international efforts to promote emergency relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction, and prevention in the wake of the unprecedented floods that swept Pakistan in 2022.
Almheiri noted that the humanitarian response in this regard was to meet urgent needs and to reach the affected areas to ensure access to the basic needs of the population and improve their living conditions.
Help and relief from the values of the Emirates
“Giving a helping hand to those affected and sending all the food and medical supplies and basic needs is one of the state’s most enduring values since its establishment, said Mariam Almheiri.” The provision of humanitarian relief is an essential part of the foreign policy approach of the State. It was one of the first countries to respond to the crisis and quickly inaugurated an air and sea bridge that included sending 71 aircraft and six ships with more than 8,000 tons of food, medical supplies and shelter worth more than $80 million, benefiting more than 6.5 million families, mostly women, children and the elderly.
Polio vaccination
Over the past five years, the UAE has provided more than $2.4 billion in relief and development supplies to Pakistan, including more than 647 million doses of polio vaccine to 119 million children from 2014 to 2022, and $53 million in 2023 to 2026 to continue the vaccination campaign as part of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
Meeting climate challenges
In conclusion, the Minister said that her country is committed to mobilizing international efforts to address climate challenges as part of its preparations to host the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change at its twenty-eighth session, Cop 28 this year, which is an opportunity to work closely with the international community to search for effective and sustainable solutions to mitigate climate change and prioritize economic growth, through a comprehensive approach that takes into account the interests of developing countries suffering from the consequences of climate change, including Pakistan, achieve faster recovery and enhance resilience in the face of future challenges.
