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DUBAI/ WAM
Following directives by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) announced it has contributed AED43 million (US $11.7 million) in direct food aid for Gaza, in collaboration with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), bringing total financial support contributed by MBRGI to the WFP to AED230 million (over US $62.6 million) since the beginning of collaboration between the two sides in 2021.
The announcement came as MBRGI signed an agreement with WFP in the presence of WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF), taking place in Davos, Switzerland between 15 and 19 January.
According to the agreement, MBRGI will deliver its contribution to the WFP, for direct food aid that is set to benefit over one million people in Gaza.
MBRGI also signed another agreement with WFP, to implement sustainable food projects and deliver food aid to a wide segment of those most in need. Both agreements were signed by His Excellency Mohammad Al Gergawi, Secretary General of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives and Cindy McCain, WFP’s Executive Director.
MBRGI’s delegation, headed by Mohammad Al Gergawi, held a meeting on the sidelines of WEF with the World Food Programme delegation, headed by WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain, where they discussed prospects of cooperation to fulfil joint objectives of helping disadvantaged populations globally, and implement sustainable food projects across several countries.
During the meeting, HE Al Gergawi addressed some of the humanitarian initiatives led by the UAE in the Gaza Strip, aimed at aiding Palestinians amidst the challenging conditions they live due to current events. The two sides also discussed expansion of their partnership to provide direct food support to a wider segments of beneficiaries in Gaza.
Mohammad Al Gergawi, Secretary General of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) said: “Following directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, MBRGI continues to provide food support for Palestinians in Gaza amidst the dire humanitarian conditions they face due to recent events.
“The recent MBRGI contribution is part of the UAE’s ongoing efforts to support Palestinians and help those affected in Gaza. The agreement with WFP will help extend the reach of direct food support by WFP to reach one million people in Gaza,” he added.
Al Gergawi also noted that the agreement signed with WFP to launch sustainable food projects is a key step added to the long journey of bilateral cooperation towards fulfilment of a joint vision and the aims of providing long term solutions for food security to support underprivileged populations, while contributing to Sustainable Development Goals, including the objective of No Hunger by 2030.
Samer Abdeljaber, WFP Palestine Representative and Country Director, said, “This generous contribution comes at a crucial time to help address the fast-growing nutritional needs of the affected Palestinians. It will bolster WFP’s efforts in providing life-saving food assistance to civilians facing critical levels of food insecurity in the Gaza Strip. It also signifies an extension of the longstanding collaboration between MBRGI and WFP.”
The latest Integrated Food Security and Nutrition Phase Classification (IPC) report highlights alarming levels of food insecurity in Gaza, with the entire population facing crisis or worse levels of acute food insecurity. The report warns of potential famine if current conditions persist.
WFP has been providing food to people inside Gaza every day since 7 October and reached more than 900,000 people with food assistance in December.
In July 2023, a report titled ‘The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World’, published jointly by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), UNICEF, WHO and WFP, estimated the average number of people suffering from hunger in 2022 at 735 million, an increase of 122 million people compared to 2019. The report warned of the bleak prospect of not being able to achieve sustainable development goal of No Hunger by 2030.
Established in 2015, MBRGI brings under its umbrella dozens of initiatives, projects and foundations launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum under five main pillars: Humanitarian Aid Relief, Healthcare Disease Control, Spreading Education Knowledge, Innovation Entrepreneurship and Empowering Communities.
In 2022, MBRGI spent AED1.4 billion benefiting 102 million people in 100 countries, of which AED910 million were spent on Humanitarian Aid Relief initiatives that benefited 30.2 million people.