KAMPALA/WAM
The United Arab Emirates has provided 30,000 relief food packages to support Sudanese refugees in the Kiryandongo Refugee Camp in Uganda. This step, which aims to assist 100,000 people, is part of the second phase of the UAE humanitarian aid to Sudanese refugees, which was launched in April 2024.
Abdalla Hassan Al Shamsi, UAE Ambassador to Uganda, along with several senior officials from the government of Uganda as well as the civil and local communities in the region, oversaw the distribution of aid and commended the UAE’s efforts in supporting Sudanese refugees.
Al Shamsi affirmed the importance of international solidarity during crises, highlighting the UAE’s steadfast approach following the guidance of the UAE’s wise leadership and directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to support communities impacted by crises and disasters without any discrimination. Furthermore, he underscored the UAE’s commitment to working alongside international partners to build capacities in governments and their people around the world.
He highlighted that the dispatched relief is part of the UAE’s pledge to provide USD 100 million of aid to support humanitarian endeavors in Sudan, which was announced at the International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan, held in the French capital, Paris. Furthermore, he expressed hope that the emergency food aid will ensure the necessary support to the impacted Sudanese families, including children, women, and men, and affirmed the UAE’s continuous assistance to the brotherly Sudanese people in neighbouring countries, including Uganda, until peace is restored in Sudan.
For his part, Balaam Barugahara, Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs of Uganda, commended the UAE’s aid effort and stated, “This generous contribution is an extension of the steadfast UAE initiatives in humanitarian and development work, reinforced by international efforts aiming to mitigate the suffering of refugees within several host countries, including Uganda.”
Notably, the UAE humanitarian aid consists of a future plan to implement additional developmental projects, such as drilling eight water wells and constructing 16 health facilities in the Kiryandongo Refugee Camp, that aim to enhance the living conditions of Sudanese refugees.