Dubai: In a gesture that reaffirms the UAE’s commitment to humanitarian causes, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has set up an air bridge to provide critical relief supplies to Rohingya refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar.
The air bridge that saw its first flight take off on Monday has its additional relief flights scheduled for October 11, 13 and 15.
Responding to the plights of the refugees, the UAE has so far provided 270 metric tonnes of aid to the refugees in Bangladesh, with more aid to follow.
HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein posted this video saying: "From International Humanitarian City in Dubai, in solidarity with #Rohingya refugees, our third airlift of aid went out last night to Bangladesh, part of the open air bridge HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum generously created in response to their critical humanitarian conditions.
"IHC members of the United Nations, local and International organizations are sending out much needed shelter, food and relief items so far amounting to over 270 Metric Tons, followed by another 300 Metric Tons of aid in the coming few days. #Dubai and #IHC are committed to stepping up aid, delivering as much as possible - as many times as needed."
.@HHShkMohd orders creation of air bridge to provide urgent relief supplies for Rohingya refugeeshttps://t.co/iYKrMxkMjs#UAE #Dubai pic.twitter.com/oJWk77RiaG
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) October 3, 2017
Shaikh Mohammad has also sanctioned the use of his private 747 aeroplane with additional air transport C130s and 757s as needed.
Shaikh Mohammad had previously ordered two Boeing 747 airlifts to Bangladesh on September 12 and 26, to deliver substantial humanitarian supplies provided by the UN Refugee Agency.
The shipments comprised family tents to provide shelter to more than 8,000 refugees from 1,671 families, and 24,670 tarpaulins.
Last week, an aircraft flew out carrying emergency relief supplies worth Dh1.1 million.
Meanwhile, a senior Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) official told Gulf News that the aid agency is in the process of setting up a relief camp in Bangladesh for Rohingya refugees as thousands continue to flee the violence-hit Rakhine state of Myanmar.
500,000 Rohingya refugees
According to the United Nations, more than 500,000 Rohingya refugees have crossed into Cox’s Bazar region of neighbouring Bangladesh since August 25, following what the UN and many independent human rights organisations called ethnic cleansing.
.@HHShkMohd orders urgent humanitarian airlift to provide urgent relief supplies for Rohingya refugees pic.twitter.com/6iQSpOxZ63
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) October 3, 2017
With the refugees in desperate need of food, shelter and medical help, the head of UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) on Sunday made an urgent appeal for more help.
Speaking to Gulf News during a visit to the International Humanitarian City (IHC) Dubai, Mohammad Abdullah Al Zarouni, manager of ERC, said that the aid group has set aside Dh5 million to provide urgent relief for the Rohingya refugees, while plans are afoot to set up a refugee camp soon.
“We have a team of aid workers on the field in Bangladesh providing relief to the refugees. More than 500,000 refugees are in need of urgent help and the task is enormous, we have a budget of Dh5 million for urgent aid relief, but we are also looking to set up a camp, our team is working on this,” said Al Zarouni, who was at the IHC to make a presentation of his group’s relief work to the Governor-General of Australia, Sir Peter Cosgrove, who visited the IHC warehouses on Tuesday.
Princess Haya Bint Al Hussain, wife of Shaikh Mohammad, accompanied the Australian Governor-General during the tour.
Al Zarouni added that the ERC is currently working in 28 countries, providing succour to the needy in war zones as well as those facing natural calamities.
ERC's humanitarian work spreads
“We are the first and only organisation from a Muslim country to work in Mexico after the recent earthquake that has killed 360 people and left hundreds homeless," said Al Zarouni.
"A team of 100 people are working in the quake-hit Mexico City helping people come to terms with the devastation,” said Al Zarouni.
Highlighting the expanding scope of ERC’s work across the world, he added: “We have also set up a refugee camp in Greece which continues to see an influx of migrants from different parts of the world. We have set up a field hospital in Jordan offering treatment to more than 1,000 refugees while a camp in Jordan is providing shelter 8,000 Syrian refugees.”
He said that the ERC provided Dh500 million worth of relief in war-torn Yemen over the last two years.
The IHC is one of the world’s biggest humanitarian hubs housing dozens of aid organisations including nine UN agencies such as WFP and WHO.
— With inputs from WAM
