GENEVA: The United Arab Emirates and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) today concluded an agreement for a US$20 million contribution from the UAE to support UNHCR’s humanitarian operations in Sudan and neighbouring countries. The funding aims to enhance the living conditions and safety of displaced persons and refugees.

The agreement, formalised between the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and UNHCR, was signed on the behalf of the UAE by Sultan Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister for International Development Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and on the behalf of UNHCR by Mark Manly, Head of Donor Relations and Resource Mobilization Services, and in the presence of Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs and Filippo Grandi, the High Commissioner for Refugees at the UNHCR headquarters in Geneva.

The funds will aid in improving shelter, healthcare, and basic services for thousands of displaced individuals in both Sudan, and South Sudan.

Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs, remarked, “Our commitment to humanitarian causes is reinforced through strategic partnerships such as this one with UNHCR. Together, we can make a significant impact on the ground in Sudan, providing relief and hope to the most vulnerable. We remain steadfast in standing with the people of Sudan during this crisis.” She added: “We look forward to working with other partners to ensure the commitments made in Paris are made tangible on the ground.”

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, observed: “The people of Sudan are enduring the dreadful consequences of this brutal war and need urgent support. State contributions are essential in providing much-needed lifesaving humanitarian assistance to vulnerable people in Sudan forced to flee.”

The UAE contribution to the UNHCR is part of a broader commitment of $70 million dedicated to addressing urgent humanitarian needs in Sudan, through UN agencies and humanitarian organisations. This funding is a substantial portion of the $100 million pledge made by the UAE in April at the ‘International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan and Neighbouring Countries’.

This donation takes the total amount of UAE aid to Sudan in the past 10 years to more than $3.5 billion.