The UAE Foreign Aid sector is comprised of a number of development, humanitarian and charitable foundations. Nowadays, there are more than 30 organizations engaged in foreign aid activities, including a number of ministries, and government entities and departments. The UAE’s foreign aid sector has made significant progress in recent years, as established humanitarian, development and charity organizations aim to meet emerging needs and challenges. Some organizations were established to tackle specific issues; for example, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development gives loans and grants towards infrastructure projects in developing countries, the UAE Red Crescent Authority provides humanitarian aid, Dubai Cares supports the Millennium Development Goal of achieving universal primary education, Noor Dubai aims to eliminate some of the causes of blindness, among others. A brief about the main donor organizations who have been reporting their activities to OCFA is listed below.
The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) is an autonomous institution owned by the Government of Abu Dhabi. It was established by order of His Highness the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan in July 1971. Based in Abu Dhabi, it aims to provide assistance to developing countries, principally in the form of concessional loans for projects. Since its foundation, the fund has provided almost AED 13 billion ($3.54 billion) to 207 projects in 53 countries. In addition, the ADFD has supervised the management of loans and grants offered by the Abu Dhabi government, valued at around AED 10 billion. The fund is currently under the chairmanship of His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.
The Khalifa Foundation was established in 2007 with the aim of helping the poor, supporting students of science and developing social, health and cultural services. It provides relief to the victims of natural disasters and human conflict and supports health and social centers, family and vocational organizations and care for the elderly. Since operations began, the foundation has funded projects in more than 35 countries around the world.
The UAE Red Crescent Authority was founded in 1983, and became the 139th member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in 1986. It is the country’s main relief and aid agency. The Red Crescent is independent, but takes a lead role in the government’s humanitarian activities. It is guided by the principles of the international movement, such as non-alignment, non-intervention and independence. Outside the UAE, the Red Crescent responds to emergency situations, as well as undertaking health programs and humanitarian projects. It has supported projects in more than 100 countries, and is chaired by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi.
The Zayed Foundation was established in August 1992, with the aim of conducting philanthropic activities and providing public utilities both in the UAE and abroad. It offers study grants and scholarships and supports the fields of writing, translating and publishing. It also supports hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, first aid centers, child care centers, orphanages and homes for the elderly. The foundation has funded social, medical and cultural centers in all six continents. It also supplies relief to the victims of natural and social disasters.
This Dubai-based organization was set up in 1997 and works both at home and abroad. It provides services that include building hospitals, schools and cultural centers, digging wells, and responding to emergencies, be they natural or man-made. Major areas of operation have included Iraq, the Palestinian Territories, Sudan, Yemen, Kosovo and Turkey.
View the latest data on the Foreign Aid Tracking Service
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EIF reports provide information on current emergencies, in order to alert UAE actors to the most pressing needs resulting from a humanitarian emergency, as well as an overview of the international and UAE response to date. An EIF is issued when support from the UAE may be required due to the magnitude of the crisis or the vulnerability of the affected population.
Humanitarian Flash reports are available to UAE actors only, and provide updates on current humanitarian issues worldwide by theme, such as climate change and the global food crisis, as well as a summary of natural disasters, such as earthquakes and floods, to which there has generally not been an international response.
Humanitarian Country Profiles provide information about development and humanitarian issues within a selected country, as well as listing the major local and international organizations that are already present in the field. The countries are selected according to the level of assistance that they have received from the UAE over the past two decades, and whether they are facing recurrent or ‘chronic’ emergencies.