Page 56 - UAE Foreign Aid Report 2022

United Arab Emirates
56
Foreign Aid Report 2022

Sustainable Development Goal 2, “Zero Hunger,” forms a critical pillar of the UAE Foreign Assistance Policy.
Cognizant of the escalating global challenge of food insecurity and malnutrition, the UAE has taken decisive actions
to support initiatives that align with this global mandate. As a proactive development ally, the UAE continues to
allocate significant financial aid and resources towards emergency food aid, enhancing agricultural productivity,
endorsing sustainable farming practices, and improving food distribution frameworks in vulnerable regions. A
salient aspect of the UAE’s strategy lies in not only empowering smallholder farmers, women, and marginalized
communities, but also ensuring their food security and overall well-being. This strategic orientation embodies the
UAE’s commitment to ensure that no one goes hungry, especially through targeted food aid initiatives.

In 2022, SDG 2 figured prominently among the UAE’s top five supported SDGs, with allocations totaling AED 843.9
million (USD 229.8 million). This assistance reached various countries, including 25 Least Developed Countries
(LDCs), with grants to LDCs constituting nearly 60% of the UAE’s total aid to SDG 2 for that year. Ethiopia emerged
as the largest recipient, accounting for approximately 37% of the UAE’s total assistance for SDG 2.

01 Emergency Food Aid

SDG 2 is particularly consequential for regions wrestling with food insecurity, which is frequently compounded by
issues such as conflict, climate change, and economic instability. In such challenging contexts, foreign aid plays a
vital role, especially through emergency food aid. This form of assistance becomes indispensable during crises —
triggered by conflicts, natural disasters, or other humanitarian emergencies — where food accessibility is severely
compromised. Emergency food aid meets immediate nutritional requirements and concurrently builds resilience
among vulnerable communities, equipping them to recover and sustain themselves over the long term.

In 2022, as in preceding years, the emergency food aid sector was the primary recipient of the UAE’s assistance.
Programs pertaining to this sector witnessed considerable investment, with disbursements tallying to AED 513.4
million (USD 139.8 million). These constituted a significant 61% of the total outlays for Sustainable Development
Goal 2 (Zero Hunger), thereby addressing food insecurity in 23 beneficiary nations, and reflecting the UAE’s
dedication to alleviate hunger and promote food security globally.

To commemorate the commencement of the holy month of Ramadan in 2022, as part of the UAE’s continuous
advocacy for global food security, the UAE leadership unveiled the ‘one billion meals campaign.’ Building on the
success of previous campaigns, this ongoing initiative aims to extend its impact globally.

Another significant contribution was the UAE’s AED 312.2 million (USD 85.0) million pledge to the Famine Relief
Fund, with a substantial portion directed towards Ethiopia’s emergency food aid. In collaboration with the United
Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and World Food
Programme (WFP), these funds provided vital food and nutrition assistance, countering a rising tide of food
insecurity, particularly in conflict-ridden areas of northern Ethiopia.

Further, in response to Somalia’s severe drought crisis affecting over 7 million people, the UAE mobilized the
delivery of more than 6,000 tons of food aid. Similar efforts were evident in Yemen, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Syria,
Sudan, among other countries, where the UAE has consistently provided food aid, including monthly food baskets.