Dubai, UAE: The Board of Trustees of the UAE Water Aid Foundation (Suqia UAE) held its third meeting in 2024, chaired by HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. The meeting was attended by the board members: HE Fahad Abdelrahman bin Sultan, Deputy Secretary-General for Development and International Cooperation at Emirates Red Crescent and Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Suqia; HE Dr Arif Al Hammadi, Executive Vice President of Khalifa University of Science Technology and Research; HE Sultan Mohammed Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for International Development Affairs; HE Dr Ahmed Ali Murad, Associate Provost for Research at the UAE University; Nasser Lootah, Executive Vice President of Generation at Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA); Waleed Bin Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development & Excellence at DEWA; Dr. Yousef Al Akraf, Executive Vice President of Business Support and Human Resources at DEWA; Mohammed Abdulkareem Al Shamsi, Acting Executive Director of Suqia UAE; and Humaid Al Hammadi, Acting Secretary of the Board.

“We work in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make a positive change in the lives of tens of millions of people around the world and consolidate the UAE’s humanitarian status and enhance its role in building a better life for people everywhere. We are committed to answering the call of humanity and advancing efforts aimed at innovating sustainable technologies to solve the global water scarcity crisis. Our goal is to provide safe and clean water to communities suffering from water scarcity and pollution, ensuring a brighter future for all,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer.

The meeting discussed the latest developments in the water projects and networks implemented by Suqia UAE in collaboration with the Emirates Red Crescent. These projects were launched under the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to provide clean and safe drinking water to a million people residing in various regions and villages across Tanzania.

Additionally, the meeting highlighted updates on the awareness and promotional campaign for the 4th cycle of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award, with total prizes amounting to USD 1 million. This award encourages research institutions, individuals, and innovators worldwide to develop new and innovative technologies for the production, distribution, storage, monitoring, purification, and desalination of water using renewable energy.

The meeting also focused on ‘Al Freej Fridge’ humanitarian community campaign, supported by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives Foundation and launched by Furjan Dubai in collaboration with Suqia UAE and the UAE Food Bank. This campaign aims to distribute cold water, juices, and ice cream to alleviate the effects of summer heat on workers, promoting the values of compassion and giving within the Dubai community. Suqia UAE contributes to the campaign by providing Mai Dubai water bottles. Furthermore, the meeting discussed adding the option to donate to Suqia UAE through DEWA’s payment channels on its website and smart app.