Abu Dhabi: The UAE extended Dh875 million for the reconstruction of war-ravaged Afghanistan last August during a meeting held in Abu Dhabi between Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Foreign Minister, and Zalmai Rassoul, Afghani foreign minister.
The UAE minister further added that the $250 million grant will be managed by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD). "The fund will be channelled into projects with special focus on housing for orphans, widows and people with special needs and rehabilitation of the capital, Kabul, and other provinces of Afghanistan.
During the last few years, the UAE Red Crescent Society (RCS) has dispatched four aeroplanes full of various relief supplies to Afghanistan. A total of 200 tonnes of relief assistance were distributed to the refugees who were fleeing war in the impoverished country. The UAE continues to make a significant humanitarian contribution in Afghanistan, and has done so since 2003. In 2009, the UAE committed more than Dh1.26 billion in aid to Afghanistan, representing 14 per cent of the UAE's total foreign aid during 2009.
Although a number of UAE donors were active in Afghanistan, almost 73 per cent of assistance (Dh918.3 million) was in the form of grants administered by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development.
Most of the funds (Dh863.2 million) were allocated to construction. Some Dh26.8 million went towards infrastructure and services. Through organisations such as the Red Crescent Authority, the generous donations made by UAE citizens and volunteers have contributed to the construction of 11 schools educating 300 pupils per day, six medical clinics which have treated 35,000 Afghan patients, a major hospital with an annual capacity of 7,000 patients, 38 mosques each providing a prayer service for more than 300 people, a general public library, accommodation in Zayed City for 200 displaced families and 160 wells.
The UAE people have contributed $22 million for food, medicine and basic relief projects providing housing and shelter in Afghanistan.
Reconstruction
In addition, the UAE Red Crescent Authority has invested $19 million in local projects, and the UAE government has dedicated $30 million to international reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan.
The total cost of humanitarian programmes conducted by the UAE (RCA) from 1997-2008, was Dh104.080 million. The RCA projects in Afghanistan eased the suffering of the Afghani people, who are looking forward to basic life needs.
Ali Abdullah Al Ka'abi, board chairman of the RCA, emphasised the noble care of Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, to boost charity and humanitarian work in countries worldwide.
