Page 49 - UAE Foreign Aid Report 2022

Section 02
49
UAE Support towards SDGs and its Sectors of Assistance

Global Progress of SDG 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

The world is on the verge of a global food crisis, with a rising number of people experiencing hunger and food
insecurity even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Global food supply systems have been partially undermined by a
cascading combination of growing conflicts, climate-related shocks and widening inequalities. As a result, as many
as 828 million people may have suffered from hunger in 2021. The outbreak of war in Ukraine poses an additional
threat to food in security, with the potential to provoke a surge in levels of hunger and malnutrition, especially
among the poorest and most vulnerable. With this global crisis looming, it is more urgent than ever to address
its root causes. The international community must act now to avert a crippling food emergency and the social,
economic and political upheaval that could follow.

Source: The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2022

In 2022, the United Arab Emirates underscored its commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 3
(Good Health and Well-being) by disbursing AED 1.50 billion (USD 408.5 million), making it the second-
most supported SDG by the UAE for three consecutive years. This assistance extended to numerous
countries, including a strategic focus on 24 of the world’s Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

Ethiopia emerged as the top recipient of the UAE’s support towards SDG 3 in 2022, with disbursements
totaling AED 275.5 million (USD 75.0 million), which accounted for 18% of the UAE’s total aid for this
goal. The assistance included the delivery of more than 100 tons of medical equipment and supplies to
Addis Ababa and the Tigray region, forming part of a relief air bridge established by the UAE.

Palestine emerged as the second largest beneficiary of the UAE’s health programs in 2022, receiving
AED 247.7 million (USD 67.4 million) in aid. These disbursements were primarily invested in constructing
and outfitting medical hospitals and clinics. Furthermore, the UAE displayed a robust commitment to
meeting urgent healthcare needs by dispatching more than 85 tons of medicines, medical equipment,
and supplies, thereby strengthening the capacity of hospitals in the Gaza Strip.

This assistance reflects the UAE’s broader humanitarian efforts to improve living conditions and provide
aid to vulnerable groups in crisis-stricken regions, especially women and children.