Page 214 - UAE Foreign Aid Report 2022

United Arab Emirates
214
Foreign Aid Report 2022

Aid Allocation Overview

In 2022, the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation wide array of projects focusing on various plant, animal,
Fund fortified its role as the UAE’s vanguard in species and fungus species. Each application undergoes
conservation and biodiversity with an allocation of AED rigorous scrutiny by an independent evaluation
6.4 million (USD 1.7 million) in grant funding, benefiting committee, ensuring that the most impactful projects
a diverse array of 62 countries. This included a focus on receive the necessary support.
the world’s most economically disadvantaged regions,
with 15 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) receiving By streamlining its funding process in this manner,
nearly 20% of the total funding. Moreover, 18 Lower- the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund
Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) were awarded more effectively minimizes bureaucratic hurdles, enabling
than one-third of the allocated funds. Additionally, conservationists to focus their energies on combating
the Fund took a specialized approach by including the extinction crisis. Established as a philanthropic
seven Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in its endowment, the Fund’s multifaceted mission extends
conservation efforts. beyond mere financial support. It aims to offer targeted
grants for species-specific conservation initiatives,
Brazil, India, and Mexico emerged as the key recipients, honor exemplary leadership in the realm of species
hosting the Fund’s largest projects by aid volume. This conservation, and elevate the discourse on the critical
geographic distribution reflects not just the areas with importance of individual species within the broader
critical biodiversity needs but also locations where conservation narrative.
impactful interventions can be made.
In alignment with its specialized mandate, 100% of
In the execution of its projects, the Mohamed bin the Fund’s efforts are geared toward development-
Zayed Species Conservation Fund employs a robust oriented projects, specifically aligning with Sustainable
operational strategy deeply anchored in collaborative Development Goal (SDG) 15, which aims to protect,
partnerships. The Fund has a long-standing practice of restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial
entrusting all its financial resources to national Non- ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat
Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Civil Society desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation
Organizations (CSOs). This approach not only leverages and halt biodiversity loss.
their in-depth knowledge of local ecosystems but
also taps into their community-specific insights and Over the last half-decade, from 2018-2022, the
expertise at the grassroots level. Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund’s
commitment has translated into a notable AED 29.8
As part of its innovative financial framework, the Fund million (USD 8.1 million) in disbursed funds, bringing
employs a micro-financing model to allocate resources. numerous biodiversity and species conservation
Open to conservationists globally, it offers funding for a initiatives to fruition worldwide.

Allocation Insights

01 Biodiversity

In 2022, the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation backed was an initiative designed to bridge local
Fund further solidified its commitment to species community conservation tactics with broader regional
conservation and biodiversity, marking its global strategies in a bid to safeguard the critically endangered
footprint with funding for nearly 200 noteworthy Leora´s stream salamander. Simultaneously, it
projects. fostered advancements in aquaculture by supporting
the development of captive breeding techniques for
In Mexico, the Fund championed a multifaceted the black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii), a critically
approach to conservation. Among the projects it endangered species. The objective was twofold: ensure