Abu Dhabi: UAE — the world’s top aid donor for third consecutive year — will fondly remember the legacy of its founding father Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan on Wednesday, which marks his 13th death anniversary.
The 19th day of Ramadan, which also falls on Wednesday, is designated as Zayed Humanitarian Day across the UAE.
“The UAE has become a role model for humanity and the nation has carried Zayed’s message of giving without limits, of sharing wealth across the globe, where the great leader’s name is inscribed in hospitals, schools, universities, houses for the poor, and many other humanitarian aid projects across the world,” said Dr Mohammad Ateeq Al Falahi, Secretary-General of the Emirates Red Crescent Authority.
Shaikh Zayed, the Ruler of Abu Dhabi from 1966 and UAE President from the formation of the Federation on December 2, 1971 till his death in 2004, was widely loved and respected as a benevolent Arab and world statesman. He upheld the principles of benevolence and humanitarian work, and encouraged others to do so.
Shaikh Zayed had set up the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development well before the establishment of the UAE to help developing countries achieve growth and development through assistance in the form of concessionary loans, development grants and equity participation.
The UAE, under the leadership of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has followed Shaikh Zayed’s legacy in providing support to the needy worldwide.
The UAE is among the top donors globally for the fourth year and the first for the third successive year.
The UAE spends more on aid to develop other countries than any other nation on earth compared to its wealth, states a new Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report.
Data published in April by the Paris-based organisation, which has a membership of 35 developed countries, noted that the UAE spent Dh15.23 billion on development assistance in 2016.
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said on Twitter: “The UAE does not provide conditional assistance and neither does for the sake of reciprocal interests. It does so only for the good and stability of all peoples.”
Shaikh Mohammad noted that the announcement of the UAE being ranked first among development assistance donors in 2016 coincides with the UAE’s Year of Giving.
Last year, international aid contributions of 29 countries that are members of the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC) average 0.32 per cent of Gross National Income (GNI).
GNI is the sum of the total domestic and foreign output claimed by residents of a country.
This figure is slightly up from 0.30 per cent in 2015.
In contrast, the UAE gave more than three times that average over the same time frame — donating 1.12 per cent of its GNI in foreign aid.
The UAE reports its aid flows to the OECD even though it is not a member.
Within the OECD’s member nations, the most generous country in proportion to its national wealth was Norway.
Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said the UAE has become a role model for humanitarian assistance.
Last year saw the continuation of providing aid to Africa, which received Dh8.95 billion of the UAE’s total development assistance — around 54 per cent.
Reem Ebrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation, praised the directives and guidance of the UAE’s leaders in providing humanitarian aid to people and countries in need worldwide.
From 1971 to 2004, the UAE has given Dh90.5 billion worth of aid in various forms to 117 countries.
If during the early 1970s Abu Dhabi’s financial reserves were modest, it was because Shaikh Zayed dedicated a significant portion — running into hundreds of millions of dollars — to the Arab world.
During the past 44 years, Asia was the main beneficiary of support and aid money provided, with a total of Dh79.4 billion, followed by Africa with Dh75.4 billion, pumped into development projects such as housing complexes, roads, bridges, power generation plants and others.
The UAE has also announced that its aid supported a number of key areas in the 2030 development agenda, including infrastructure development, fighting poverty and hunger, the provision of aid for health care, education, and renewable energy, in addition to the support and empowerment of women.
