The Gulf Time Newspaper One of the finest business newspapers in the UAE brought to you by our professional writers and editors.
Abu Dhabi / WAM
The UAE on Monday announced AED55 million ($15 million) for school supplies that will support 400,000 students in Sudan.
The monetary aid, provided by Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), covers educational necessities, including classroom equipment.
ADFD, in cooperation with the Sudanese government, supervised the delivery of the first shipment of school supplies that covers the needs of 10,000 students.
Hamad Mohammed Humaid Al Junaibi, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Sudan, and Lieutenant General Ahmed Abdoun Hammad, Wali (Governor) in Charge of Khartoum State, were present at the arrival of the first shipment in Sudan. All educational shipments are expected to arrive in Sudan by end-February 2020.
As announced in April 2019, the school supplies support package falls within the framework of AED11 billion Saudi Arabia-UAE joint aid package aimed at supporting Sudan’s economic, financial stability.
Speaking on the occasion, Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director-General of Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, said, “The aid provided to Sudan stems from the guidance of UAE leadership and its keenness to ensure provision of educational, nutritional and medical requirements for the Sudanese people. The UAE’s commitment to supporting Sudan testifies to brotherly ties that unite the two countries.”
He added, “At this stage, supporting the education sector in Sudan and enabling students to learn in modern classrooms equipped with essential school supplies, as well as providing food, medicine, and basic commodities for the Sudanese people are core priorities for the UAE and ADFD.”
As part of the package, Saudi Arabia and the UAE deposited a financial allocation of $500 million into the Central Bank of Sudan, CBOS, evenly split between the two countries, to strengthen the Bank’s financial position. The UAE and Saudi Arabia have also dispatched 540,000 tonnes of wheat worth $150 million to enhance food security in Sudan over a three-month period.
The remainder of the aid package has been allocated to meet the urgent needs of the Sudanese population for medicine, petroleum derivatives, and seasonal agricultural supplies, as well as to support sustainable economic development in the country.