The U.A.E. Ministry of International Cooperation and Development, MICAD, yesterday signed an agreement with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, UNOCHA, to coordinate humanitarian response activities inside Syria.
The agreement, which was signed by Hazza Mohammad Falah Al Qahtani, the Under-Secretary of MICAD, and Rashid Khalikov, Director of OCHA, Geneva, states that the U.A.E. will provide Dh3.7 million (US$1 million) to UNOCHA towards the cause.
Commenting during the signing, MICAD Minister, Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, said, "The U.A.E. is keen to work with international organisations to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to those most in need. We are pleased to provide support to UNOCHA in its active role of coordinating and guiding relief operations. Together we can ensure the delivery of urgently-needed humanitarian aid to communities inside Syria." Mr. Khalikov said, "I am here today to sign an agreement with the honourable representatives of the Ministry of International Cooperation and Development of the Government of the United Arab Emirates in support of UNOCHA's mandate as a coordinator for humanitarian action. Out of its deep understanding of the importance and increasing need for humanitarian coordination, the U.A.E. government has made another generous gesture by allocating US$1 million to support the humanitarian coordination and advocacy activities for the Syria Humanitarian Response Plan." The funds to UNOCHA are part of an overall U.A.E. commitment of Dh220 million (US$60 million), which the country pledged during the International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria which was held last January.