The UAE has emphasised its determination to deliver crucial relief operations across the globe and support aid workers on the front lines of crises in recognition of World Humanitarian Day.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said the nation continued to follow the humanitarian path forged by UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
He shared a video on X chronicling the UAE's humanitarian efforts over the years.
Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes' Affairs and Chairman of the International Humanitarian and Philanthropic Council, on Sunday hailed the "inspiring efforts" of humanitarian teams seeking to bring fresh hope to lives affected by conflict and disaster.
He said the Emirates, guided by President Sheikh Mohamed and building on the legacy of Sheikh Zayed, would remain steadfast in its commitment to supporting the most vulnerable sections of society.
"We celebrate the remarkable humanitarian contributions made by the UAE, and review its clear commitment to humanitarian work at regional and international levels, and we commend the inspiring efforts made by humanitarian workers in spreading hope among societies suffering from crises," Sheikh Theyab was quoted as saying by state news agency Wam.
He said the UAE would continue to provide urgent relief wherever needed and help to mitigate the challenges faced by civilians.
The UN-led World Humanitarian Day is observed each year on August 19, the date of a 2003 suicide bombing in Baghdad that killed 22, including Sergio Vieira de Mello, then UN high commissioner for human rights and head of the UN mission in Iraq.
The date is marked to recognise the work of humanitarian agencies and workers and highlight the importance of offering a helping hand to people affected by crises.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region and chairman of Emirates Red Crescent, said the UAE was intensifying its humanitarian efforts, under the leadership of Sheikh Mohamed, to provide a lifeline to civilians affected by disaster and conflict in the region and globally.
He said the UAE was at the top of an international list of donors for humanitarian and development aid, and praised initiatives launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Wam reported.
Shamma Al Mazrui, Minister of Community Development, said the UAE's humanitarian vision builds on the foundations laid down by Sheikh Zayed.
“Humanitarian work in our country is not just a duty, but rather the basic nucleus for building a cohesive society and a prosperous future for all,” she said.
The UAE, she added, values the integral role of humanitarian workers, describing them as a driving force for bolstering societal stability.
The Emirates offers crucial assistance to needy communities all over the world, including those affected by war in the Gaza Strip and Sudan.
Gaza aid mission
A ship prepares to leave Fujairah carrying humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza. All photos: Chris Whiteoak
The Whiteland, flying the UAE flag, will arrive at Al Arish port in Egypt in mid-February, before the cargo is moved by road to Rafah and then on to Gaza
Through the Emirates Red Crescent, the UAE is sending food, medicine, tents, and essentials for women and children
More than 4,500 tonnes of goods will be delivered to help Palestinians prepare for Ramadan, the holiest month of the Islamic calendar
About 154 tonnes of material for building temporary shelters and 87 tonnes of medical aid were stacked high inside the ship’s hold
The supplies for Gaza have been collected and donated by charitable groups, philanthropists, companies and their employees, and packed by volunteers and workers including Emiratis and residents
The ship's journey began as President Sheikh Mohamed ordered $5 million in financial aid to support the humanitarian efforts being made to reconstruct Gaza
Pallets of boxes ready to be transported to Gaza from Fujairah
The Whiteland prepares to leave Fujairah
The UAE provided more than 33,000 tonnes of urgent supplies to Gaza between November 2023 and June 13 of this year.
Figures released in June by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, showed the aid was delivered by 320 flights, seven ships and 1,243 lorries.
Two hospitals have also been established as part of the UAE's programme to help those in need in Gaza, including one with a centre to provide prosthetic limbs to Palestinians wounded during the war.
The field hospital in the southern Gaza Strip has 200 beds and more than 100 doctors, nurses, pharmacists and lab technicians. It has treated thousands of patients since its launch in December.
A 100-bed floating hospital, docked off the coast of the city of Al Arish since February, had already treated about 2,400 Palestinians by July.
The UAE has welcomed 709 patients from Gaza, along with 787 of their family members, to receive medical treatment and accommodation to date.
This follows a directive by Sheikh Mohamed to provide care for 2,000 injured Gazans, as well as those suffering from cancer.
The UAE's relief efforts in Gaza have received overwhelming support from the public.
More than 24,000 volunteers boxed up 71,000 aid packages in a matter of weeks during a Gaza aid campaign launched in October, shortly after the war with Israel broke out.
Key support for Sudan
The UAE has provided more than $3.5 billion in humanitarian aid to the people of Sudan since 2014, with $230 million coming since the outbreak of civil war in April 2023.
The Emirates has built two field hospitals in Chad to provide medical treatment to Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries.
More than 45,000 patients have received care at the two health centres to date.
Authorities said 159 relief flights had been sent in support of Sudan, loaded with about 10,000 tonnes of food, medicine and other essential supplies.
Badr Organisation: Seen as the most militarily capable faction in the Hashd. Iraqi Shiite exiles opposed to Saddam Hussein set up the group in Tehran in the early 1980s as the Badr Corps under the supervision of the Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The militia exalts Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei but intermittently cooperated with the US military.
Saraya Al Salam (Peace Brigade): Comprised of former members of the officially defunct Mahdi Army, a militia that was commanded by Iraqi cleric Moqtada Al Sadr and fought US and Iraqi government and other forces between 2004 and 2008. As part of a political overhaul aimed as casting Mr Al Sadr as a more nationalist and less sectarian figure, the cleric formed Saraya Al Salam in 2014. The group’s relations with Iran has been volatile.
Kataeb Hezbollah: The group, which is fighting on behalf of the Bashar Al Assad government in Syria, traces its origins to attacks on US forces in Iraq in 2004 and adopts a tough stance against Washington, calling the United States “the enemy of humanity”.
Asaeb Ahl Al Haq: An offshoot of the Mahdi Army active in Syria. Asaeb Ahl Al Haq’s leader Qais al Khazali was a student of Mr Al Moqtada’s late father Mohammed Sadeq Al Sadr, a prominent Shiite cleric who was killed during Saddam Hussein’s rule.
Harakat Hezbollah Al Nujaba: Formed in 2013 to fight alongside Mr Al Assad’s loyalists in Syria before joining the Hashd. The group is seen as among the most ideological and sectarian-driven Hashd militias in Syria and is the major recruiter of foreign fighters to Syria.
Saraya Al Khorasani: The ICRG formed Saraya Al Khorasani in the mid-1990s and the group is seen as the most ideologically attached to Iran among Tehran’s satellites in Iraq.
(Source: The Wilson Centre, the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation)
Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
The UN General Assembly President in quotes:
YEMEN: “The developments we have seen are promising. We really hope that the parties are going to respect the agreed ceasefire. I think that the sense of really having the political will to have a peace process is vital. There is a little bit of hope and the role that the UN has played is very important.”
PALESTINE: “There is no easy fix. We need to find the political will and comply with the resolutions that we have agreed upon.”
OMAN: “It is a very important country in our system. They have a very important role to play in terms of the balance and peace process of that particular part of the world, in that their position is neutral. That is why it is very important to have a dialogue with the Omani authorities.”
REFORM OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL: “This is complicated and it requires time. It is dependent on the effort that members want to put into the process. It is a process that has been going on for 25 years. That process is slow but the issue is huge. I really hope we will see some progress during my tenure.”
Pupils to learn coding and other vocational skills from Grade 6
Exams to test critical thinking and application of knowledge
A new National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance, Assessment, Review and Analysis for Holistic Development) will form the standard for schools
Schools to implement online system to encouraging transparency and accountability
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE) Where: Allianz Arena, Munich Live: BeIN Sports HD Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
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Women: Wadima Al Yafei and Mahra Al Hanaei (49kg), Bashayer Al Matrooshi and Hessa Al Shamsi (62kg)
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Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
