Page 126 - UAE Foreign Aid Report 2022

United Arab Emirates
126
Foreign Aid Report 2022

Allocation Insights

In 2022, the UAE’s aid delivery to Ethiopia was strategically channeled to maximize impact and reach. Almost
half of this aid, precisely 46%, was routed through bilateral assistance directly to the Ethiopian government,
underscoring the strong diplomatic ties and mutual trust between the two nations. This direct aid, amounting to
AED 305.8 million (USD 83.3 million), was predominantly earmarked for crucial food and health initiatives, aiming
to address some of Ethiopia’s most pressing humanitarian challenges.

Simultaneously, the UAE tapped into the operational strengths and field expertise of key multilateral organizations.
Together, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Food Programme (WFP), and the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) were allocated nearly 40% of the UAE’s development and humanitarian
assistance to Ethiopia in 2022, aggregating to a significant AED 260.8 million (USD 71.0 million). This collaboration
accentuated the UAE’s commitment to leveraging the global reach and specialized capabilities of these UN
agencies to amplify the impact of its assistance.

Furthermore, in a nod to the importance of diversified and grassroots-level engagement, the UAE also collaborated
with two renowned international NGOs - the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International
Medical Corps. Entrusted with a combined funding of AED 45.2 million (USD 12.3 million), these organizations
played pivotal roles in rolling out food and nutrition projects, ensuring that aid penetrated even the remotest and
most vulnerable communities in Ethiopia.

01 Commodity Aid

In 2022, the UAE demonstrated a pronounced emphasis Simultaneously, the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, in
on Ethiopia’s commodity aid sector, which emerged as conjunction with its partners, leveraged AED 18.4 million
the nation’s most generously supported sector by the (USD 5.0 million) contribution from the UAE to furnish
UAE, receiving 49% of the UAE’s foreign assistance to food and nutritional support to over 740,000 refugees
Ethiopia. This translated to a significant disbursement in Ethiopia. This funding, also extended through the
of AED 329.6 million (USD 89.7 million), with the Famine Relief Fund, ensured consistent monthly food
overwhelming majority, around 80%, being funneled distributions for these refugees. Moreover, it also
directly into emergency food aid. This robust assistance enabled the UNHCR to implement specialized nutrition
culminated in the delivery of over 500 tons of essential programmes that serve nearly 38,000 children aged
food items, underlining the UAE’s determination to between 6 to 23 months and over 27,000 expectant
combat hunger and malnutrition in Ethiopia. and nursing mothers. 18

Spearheading this initiative, the UAE forged a pivotal Complementing these initiatives, the multi-sector aid
alliance with the World Food Programme (WFP). component witnessed the provision of nearly 50 tons
Funds provided by the UAE, amounting to AED 220.4 of emergency relief items, further solidifying the UAE’s
million (USD 60.0 million), routed through the Famine comprehensive humanitarian footprint in Ethiopia.
Relief Fund, empowered the WFP to sustain its critical
operations, especially in Ethiopia’s conflict-stricken
northern regions like Tigray, Afar, and Amhara. This
funding ensured that food distributions reached an
astounding 1.6 million individuals in these areas,
addressing their pressing food requirements. 17