Page 79 - UAE Foreign Aid Report 2022

Section 03
79
UAE Humanitarian Assistance

Ethiopia Somalia

Ethiopia, struggling with an acute food crisis impacting Somalia, facing a disastrous drought, was the second-
an estimated 20.1 million people, including internally largest recipient of the UAE’s emergency food aid
displaced persons (IDPs) driven from their homes projects in 2022. A disbursement of AED 73.1 million
due to conflict in the north and severe drought in the (USD 19.9 million) was earmarked to complement
south and southeast, found a strong ally in the UAE in global humanitarian efforts to assist the 7.1 million
8
2022. The challenges were amplified by the severe people who could not meet their daily food requirements
malnutrition afflicting children in the country. UNICEF and required urgent humanitarian assistance. Among
estimates that a staggering 600,000 children from them, more than 200,000 faced catastrophic hunger
drought-hit regions need treatment for severe acute levels, and an estimated 1.5 million children under the
malnutrition. 9 age of 5 were acutely malnourished. In response, the
UAE mobilized the delivery of more than 6,000 tons of
This East African nation became the main recipient food aid to Somalia.
of the UAE’s emergency food aid projects in 2022,
receiving 52%, or AED 267.5 million (USD 72.8 million), The UAE’s emergency food aid efforts extended beyond
of the total food aid allocations. Beyond the 500 tons Ethiopia and Somalia to other countries grappling
of emergency food aid provided, the UAE further with food crises. Nations such as Afghanistan, Chad,
demonstrated its commitment to alleviate Ethiopia’s Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Yemen, and
food security challenges by pledging a noteworthy AED Zimbabwe also benefited from the UAE’s generosity.
312.2 million (USD 85.0 million) to the Famine Relief Among the many interventions, the UAE’s provision of
Fund. A significant proportion of this contribution monthly food baskets offered a lifeline to communities
was directed towards Ethiopia’s urgent food aid living on the edge of survival.
requirements. This substantial financial assistance,
in conjunction with crucial partnerships with United Somalia
Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),
and the World Food Programme (WFP), has enabled USD 19.9 million
the provision of vital food and life-saving nutritional
support. Helping 7.1 million people
6,000 tons of emergency food aid

Ethiopia

USD 72.8 million

52% of the total food aid allocations
500 tons of emergency food aid