NEW YORK, 12th July, 2022 (WAM) — The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives presented the outcomes of its recent humanitarian activities at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York.
Its activities cover education, knowledge, relief and humanitarian aid, community empowerment, innovation, the future and healthcare.
The presentation took place during an event on the sidelines of the participation of a UAE delegation at the 2022 High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development – Hybrid Dialogue, which highlighted the fact that the foundation spent AED6.9 billion over the past five years.
During its presentation, the Emirati delegation confirmed that the cost of the foundation’s educational initiatives was AED2.1 billion over the past five years, and according to a report on the outcomes of its activities in 2021, its spending amounted to AED1.1 billion (US$300 million), benefitting 91 million people in 97 countries.
Ambassador Mohamed Abushahab, Deputy Permanent Representative at the Permanent Mission of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations in New York, delivered the event’s opening speech, which presented the work of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives.
The event was attended by heads of international organisations, delegations from states and representatives of permanent international missions, as well as members of the UAE’s mission at the UN and the foundation’s board of trustees.
The participants were briefed about the activities of 30 organisations and initiatives operating under the umbrella of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives and their international contributions that support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in line with the foundation’s five main pillars. These are relief and humanitarian aid, healthcare and combatting diseases, promoting education and knowledge, future innovation and leadership, and empowering communities.
They focus on preventing hunger and promoting educational initiatives implemented by the foundation, most notably the “Madrasa” free e-learning platform, the “Digital School” initiative aimed at empowering students in remote areas and refugee camps, and various initiatives aimed at providing food aid, including the “10 million meals,” the “100 million meals” and the “1 billion meals” campaigns and initiatives.
Saeed Al Eter, Assistant Secretary-General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, explained the foundation’s global role, noting that presenting the outcomes of its activities at the UN headquarters in New York underscores its prominent international stature.
The foundation’s humanitarian initiatives have made a difference to the lives of dozens of communities around the world.
The foundation’s delegation highlighted its contributions at achieving the SDGs. It noted that the total value of its relief and humanitarian aid in 2021 was AED417 million while the number of beneficiaries of its relief and humanitarian aid in the same year was 22.9 million people.
Over the past three years, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives launched food aid campaigns that benefitted millions of individuals, families and refugees in over 50 countries around the world, including the 1 Billion Meals initiative launched upon the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in Ramadan 2022, which followed the 100 Million Meals initiative launched in 2021.
Regarding healthcare, Dr. Manal Taryam, Member of the Board of Trustees of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives and CEO of the Nour Dubai Foundation, said spending on medical campaigns and initiatives totalled AED51.2 million in 2021, benefitting nearly 15 million people.
Regarding education, Huda Al Hashimi, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Affairs and Member of the Board of the Digital School, highlighted the foundation’s related efforts and the importance of digital education in accelerating the fourth SDG in the UAE while explaining the work of the Digital School.
The session was attended by Mohamed Melainine Ould Eyih, Mauritanian Minister of National Education and Reform of the Education System, who highlighted the ministry’s efforts to promote education and its cooperation with the foundation.
The event’s participants were briefed about the foundation’s related efforts and the fact that its spending in this area amounted to AED253 million in 2021, benefitting 48.4 million people worldwide.
Regarding community empowerment, Helen Clarke, Former New Zealand Prime Minister, along with Professor Raed Awamleh, Dean of the Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government, talked about the foundation’s related efforts.
They noted that its spending on relevant activities amounted to some AED 88.7 million, benefitting 2.1 million people around the world.
Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of the Dubai Future Foundation, presented the work of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives in the area of future innovation, most notably the efforts of the Museum of the Future in the area of sustainability, upon the directives of the UAE’s leadership to address this issue.
Abdullah Lootah, Vice-Chair of the UAE’s National Committee for SDGs, presented several outcomes of the foundation’s activities, which, despite the logistical and technical challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, succeeded in reaching an unprecedented number of beneficiaries compared to previous years. The foundation’s volunteers numbered nearly 145,000 in 2021, he added