ABU DHABI, UAE — The UAE remains committed to the welfare of refugees worldwide, said Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC).
“Under the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the support of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the UAE seeks to support refugees and find suitable solutions for their challenges,” Sheikh Hamdan said in a statement made on World Refugee Day, which is globally recognized on June 20.
He further spotlighted the critical role of the initiatives launched by the UAE in bolstering global refugee support efforts. Among these initiatives, the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women, led by H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), and the “Mother of the Nation,” stands out.
Sheikha Fatima’s fund has significantly contributed to the economic and social empowerment of refugee women, providing an essential support system for women in disadvantaged communities.
“The UAE will remain a protective shield for refugees protecting them from the harsh consequences of displacement, and a resilient fortress to ease their escalating suffering, and a strong pillar to uphold their human dignity,” Sheikh Hamdan articulated, calling on the international community to increase efforts to alleviate forced displacement and secure improved living conditions for refugees.
In further demonstration of its commitment, the UAE has recently pledged US$20 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which extends essential services such as education, health care, and relief to Palestinian refugees. This contribution supplements the substantial USD 521 million that the UAE has already provided to Palestine between 2018 and 2023, including USD 119.3 million through UNRWA.
Turning attention to the plight of Afghan refugees, Sheikh Hamdan acknowledged the 2,100 individuals currently residing in the Emirates Humanitarian City (EHC) in the UAE. These refugees were part of a larger group of about 20,000 Afghans relocated to the UAE during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Although many have since been relocated to countries such as the US, Canada, and various European countries, more than 2,000 remain in the EHC.
Despite the challenging conditions faced by these refugees that have stirred human rights concerns, the UAE maintains that it is firmly committed to ensuring the welfare and dignity of these Afghan evacuees. The UAE has pledged to cooperate with international partners to bring this extraordinary humanitarian resettlement to a satisfactory conclusion.