Dubai: The UAE continues to be at the forefront of global humanitarian assistance, with the country’s partnership with the United Nations (UN) supporting gender equality and women’s empowerment across countries, including in conflict zones in the region. In a session held in partnership with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on the second day of the Global Women’s Forum Dubai 2024, titled “Glimpses of UAE-UN Humanitarian Partnership,” eminent speakers emphasized the spirit of humanitarian assistance as part of the very fabric of Emirati culture. The country’s support continues to have a strong economic and social impact on affected communities globally.
According to Emirates News Agency, the session featured speakers such as Dr. Sara Chehab, Senior Research Fellow at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, Berangere Boell, Resident Coordinator for the UAE, UN, Sajeda Shawa, Head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) UAE, and Maha Gorton, Head of Wo
men’s Pavilion, Expo City Dubai. Sajeda Shawa expressed the deep honor of OCHA’s participation in the Global Women’s Forum Dubai, highlighting the success of humanitarian partnerships between the UN and the UAE, focusing on diplomatic engagements and collaboration with governmental and semi-governmental entities.
Shawa noted that the UAE’s commitment to humanitarian efforts is deeply rooted in the nation’s values and culture, inspired by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak. Dr. Sara Chehab highlighted that a significant portion of the UAE’s humanitarian aid supports women’s empowerment globally, reflecting the country’s achievements, with women holding one-third of cabinet positions and nearly 50 percent representation in diplomatic roles.
Berangere Boell lauded the UAE’s contributions to UN humanitarian assistance programmes, emphasizing the partnership’s foundation on principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence. Boell noted an incr
ease in the UAE’s contribution to the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC) in 2023, reaching 27 percent, up from US$10 billion in 2022. Recent UAE assistance in conflict zones included US$130 million for Lebanon and US$100 million for Sudan, alongside food aid airdrop support in Gaza.
The session’s speakers echoed the importance of partnerships in the UAE’s humanitarian efforts, emphasizing the need for collective action towards sustainability, gender parity, and inclusion. They stressed the inclusion of women in peace negotiations as crucial for achieving successful outcomes.