2009-12-08 21:03:40
WAM GENEVA, Dec. 8th, 2009: The United Arab Emirates today renewed its support to the Office of the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to help meet the needs of tens of millions of the world's most vulnerable people.

In a statement at UNHCR's annual pledging conference in Geneva (UNHCR'S funding appeal 2010), the UAE Permanent Representative to United Nations office in Geneva Ambassador Obaid Salem Al Zaabi said the UAE always responsibly responded to the humanitarian needs of people around the world which, he added, witnessed this year exodus of refugees in Somalia, Palestine, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

This situation, he said, needs joint action by all concerned parties to provide rapid response and to provide protection to civilians and refugees.

"The UAE leadership, represented by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has always emphasized its commitment to humanitarian issues. In 2009, the Khalifa Bin Zayed Foundation provided US$30 million of funds to UNHCR's operations in Swat Valley, Pakistan.

The UAE, he noted, has a strong humanitarian presence in Yemen, Pakistan, Somalia and Palestine where its teams take part in rescue and aid programs.

Today at UNHCR's annual pledging conference in Geneva in Geneva, donor nations committed an initial US$477.5 million towards the UN refugee agency's US$3 billion funding appeal for 2010, its largest ever such request and aimed at meeting the basic needs of a growing number of people under its care.

The High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres asked donors to fund a US$3.007 billion requirement.

WAM/MMYS