UAE Water Aid Bolsters UAE’s Global Position in Humanitarian Aid

The UAE has established its global position in humanitarian initiatives and humanitarian aid, and its leading role in promoting human solidarity. It has an effective role in the international efforts to combat humanitarian challenges. The UAE has a strong presence in the areas of humanitarian aid and emergency and long-term aid in all parts of the world.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minster of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, issued a decree establishing the UAE Water Aid Foundation as non-profit organisation. Based on the decree, the Board of Trustees of the UAE Water Aid Foundation was formed. It is chaired by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of DEWA and membership of one representative each from Ministry of International Cooperation and Development, Emirates Red Crescent, UAE University, Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research, and two representatives from DEWA. The Board of Trustees is valid for three years with the possibility of extension.

Moreover Mohammed Abdulkareem Al Shamsi was assigned as Acting Executive Director of the UAE Water Aid Foundation. Since its establishment, UAE Water Aid has become a distinguished organisation that provides humanitarian aid to the needy and distressed around the world.

"His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum established the UAE Water Aid Foundation with the noble intention of enhancing the global position of the UAE and supporting countries world around the world by coordinating humanitarian efforts and initiatives to improve the living conditions of poor and disaster-stricken areas, and achieve the sustainable development of all humanity. It also shares international efforts to provide potable clean water, and fight water-related diseases that threaten lives," said Mohammed Saeed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA.

Al Tayer noted that establishing the Foundation by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is a great support to international efforts to provide clean water to millions of people around the world. The UAE Water Aid Foundation provides clean water to the needy, conducts studies and research to support producing water using solar power, contribute to financing and supporting water-technology projects to combat drought, and supervise a million-dollar annual award for researches that develop new technologies and mechanisms to produce water using solar power.

The UAE Water Aid Foundation works to provide potable water to the needy, the disadvantaged, and those who are in distress around the world. It contributes to finding permanent and sustainable solutions to water scarcity around the world. This is done using the latest technologies, desalinating water using solar power, and providing new and innovative technological solutions for communities that suffer from scarcity and contamination of drinking water. The Foundation will conduct studies and research to tackle water scarcity, particularly using solar power. This achieves the Foundation’s objectives and supports it in carrying out the tasks entrusted in it. This is done in coordination and partnership with educational, academic, and international organisations.

"The UAE Water Aid Foundation recently launched a number of campaigns to distribute water to Ramadan tents and mosques in collaboration with associations and charities in the UAE, in addition to relief assistance to Yemen in cooperation with the Ministry of Development and International Cooperation. The Foundation is also cooperating with DEWA in the field of research and development on desalination and purification of water using solar energy. The foundation also will cooperate with The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charity and Humanitarian Establishment for the provision of water in various countries of the world , based on the a Memorandum of Understanding that was signed previously," said Mohammed Abdulkareem Al Shamsi, Acting Executive Director of the UAE Water Aid Foundation.

In June 2014, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the UAE Water Aid ‘Suqia’ campaign to provide access to fresh drinking water for 5 million people around the world. The campaign has great response from society and achieved remarkable success. It surpassed its targets, collecting over AED180 million, enough to provide water to over 7 million people around the world.