Over AED 45 million in contributions by UAE to Libya

Press release

Published July 5th, 2011 - 07:00 GMT

Al Bawaba

Under the directive of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, a “UAE Relief Team” was formed to assist people affected by Libyan crisis. The team consists of more than 150 personnel from the Khalifa Foundation, the UAE Red Crescent Authority, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment, and the Zayed Foundation.

Although some assistance is reaching affected populations, security concerns continue to impede humanitarian assessments and operations, particularly in the north-west of the country. At present, there are more than 20 INGOs operating in the country, at least seven UN and affiliated organizations, as well as the ICRC and the Libyan Red Crescent, most of which are based in opposition-controlled areas.

The UAE Relief Team is providing aid on a number of fronts, working in close coordination with UN agencies, IFRC, ICRC, MSF, Tunisian and Egyptian Red Crescent Societies, and other international relief organizations, as well as the Tunisian and Egyptian Governments.

The refugee camp established by the UAE Red Crescent in Tunisia at Ra’s Ajdir, which assists 30,000 people, has been praised by the former UN Humanitarian Coordinator, Rashid Khalikov. Medical supplies have been delivered to several hospitalsin Tunisia and on the Libya-Tunisia border, and the Relief Team has established two mobile hospitals alongside the transit camps at Choucha (Ra’s Ajdir) and Salloum (on the Egyptian side of the Libyan border).