Emirates Red Crescent launches assistance campaign for Somalia

  DUBAI – For the third consecutive year, the UAE has been declared by the Paris-based Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as the world's top aid donor. The OECD, which has 35 developed countries as members, said in a report that the UAE allotted last year the most amount as aid for the development of other countries than any nation. The organization revealed that the UAE allocated Dh15.23 billion worth of development assistance in 2016, news that UAE Prime Minister Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum welcomed. Shaikh Maktoum is also UAE Vice President and Dubai Ruler. "The UAE does not provide conditional assistance and neither does for the sake of reciprocal interests. It does so only for the good and stability of all peoples," Shaikh Mohammad tweeted. He also said "the announcement of the UAE being ranked first development assistance donor in 2016 coincides with the UAE's Year of Giving during which the Emirati people launch new charitable initiatives everyday." Meanwhile, the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) yesterday launched an aid campaign billed as "For Your Sake, Somalia" with an initial allocation of Dh100 million for relief operations and development projects in the famine-hit African country. "The famine and conflicts in Somalia have created a humanitarian crisis and people need urgent help," said Dr. Mohammad Atiq Al Falahi, secretary-general of the ERC. GAC/Expat 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