Abu Dhabi, The UAE has extended assistance to more than  1 million health workers worldwide, supplying them with  over 1,000 tonnes of personal protective equipment, PPE, and medical and food aid in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Today’s milestone of assisting 1 million healthcare workers affirms the UAE’s commitment to extending a hand of cooperation to the world, regardless of the religion, race, or ideology of recipients.”, said Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation.

She said that the UAE has provided assistance to 70 countries, including China, Italy, the United Kingdom, Iran, Pakistan, Brazil, Russia, Yemen, and Afghanistan, among others.

On May 4, the UAE partnered with the UN World Food Programme (WFP) launched an international air bridge operation to provide a lifeline of essential health and humanitarian supplies to nations grappling with the impact of COVID-19.

The UAE also took part in a global pledging conference hosted by European leaders to raise €7.5 billion to discover, produce, and distribute a vaccine for COVID-19.

Furthermore, in line with the UAE’s efforts to contribute to the global scientific community’s understanding of COVID-19, the UAE has shared genomic sequencing and mutation data on various global databases, including the open-source COVID-19 genome database Nexstrain, to help scientists worldwide trace the spread of outbreaks.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

The UAE today sent an aid plane carrying 6 metric tons of medical supplies to Iraqi Kurdistan to bolster the country’s efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19.

This aid will assist approximately 6,000 medical professionals as they work to contain the virus.

Commenting on the aid delivery, Ahmed Al Dhaheri, UAE Consul-General to the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, said: “The dispatch of the additional medical aid aircraft today is a testimony of the UAE’s continued support for the brotherly Republic of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in all fields. Furthermore, this aid aims to enhance the capabilities of medical staff and health workers to cope with the challenges of sheltering internally displaced persons in some areas of the region.”

The UAE sent an aid plane containing 7 metric tons of medical supplies to Iraqi Kurdistan on May 28th to support its efforts to contain COVID-19. The aid benefited more than 7,000 healthcare workers to strengthen efforts to contain the virus’ spread.

To date, the UAE has responded to the COVID-19 crisis by providing over 980 metric tons of aid to 68 countries, supporting more than 980,000 medical professionals in the process.

Source: UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The UAE today sent an aid plane carrying 10.5 metric tons of medical supplies to Iraq to bolster the country’s efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19.

This aid will assist approximately 10,500 medical professionals as they work to contain the virus.

Commenting on the aid delivery, Mohamad Saleh Altenaiji, Charge d’affaires of the UAE Embassy in Baghdad, said: “The UAE has contributed to supporting our Iraqi brothers for years and continues to provide all possible support in all areas, particularly the economic and developmental realms. The UAE is also keen to protect and preserve Iraq’s cultural heritage in the face of terrorist threats that have tried to destroy and maim it.”

He added: “In continuation of these efforts, the UAE’s wise leadership sent a medical aid plane today to support the efforts of health workers to deal with COVID-19, which comes in addition to the recent medical assistance sent to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.”

To date, the UAE has responded to the COVID-19 crisis by providing over 974 metric tons of aid to 68 countries, supporting more than 974,000 medical professionals in the process.

Source: UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking (NCCHT) has intensified efforts to provide health and legal care to victims and support their psychological wellbeing in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

His Excellency Dr. Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Chairman of NCCHT, stressed that the UAE is committed to strengthening and protecting victims of this crime through flexible policies it has adopted and is constantly updating, as well as through its tireless efforts to provide all forms of support to victims during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Committee has addressed the threat this virus poses to public health since the beginning of the crisis with the highest degree of seriousness and transparency. Furthermore, programs and measures have been undertaken to protect victims in all fields and of all nationalities without discrimination or exception. The Committee also sought to establish a comprehensive policy to prevent the crime of human trafficking while protecting and caring for victims in all circumstances,” His Excellency added.

“The Committee has worked to help victims overcome many of the obstacles they may face in light of the spread of this pandemic in their home countries, considering the difficulty of returning home due to the closure of many countries’ airports as part of precautionary measures to reduce the virus’ spread. As such, the Committee provided health, psychological, and legal assistance, as well as training, recreational initiatives, and programs for victims of human trafficking to safely return to their home countries,” Gargash said.
The NCHHT expressed appreciation for the support provided by the relevant UAE authorities to overcome current challenges, affirming that such backing contributed significantly to facilitating the operation of shelters for victims, from their initial intake to their eventual departure.

It is worth noting that these shelters implemented all possible precautionary measures to protect victims and staff. Moreover, they have provided medical services in cooperation with health authorities and have been staffed with medical professionals around the clock.

Moreover, shelters organized numerous training programs for employees to encourage full adherence to preventative measures. Awareness programs were also organized for victims to underscore the importance of precautionary actions such as handwashing and physical distancing.

Shelters also allocated special places for individuals showing any symptoms of COVID-19, thereby contributing to the health and safety of victims, considering no cases have been recorded in such centers to date.

Having offered numerous services to victims to alleviate the impact of COVID-19, shelters also provided those under their care with a monetary disbursement to send to their families and telecommunications services to connect them with family members, in addition to other rehabilitation and recreational initiatives developed in recent days.

Source: UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The UAE today sent an aid plane carrying 11 metric tons of medical supplies to Thailand to bolster the country’s efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19.

This aid will assist approximately 11,000 medical professionals as they work to contain the virus.

Commenting on the aid delivery, His Excellency Saif Abdullah Mohammed Al Shamsi, UAE Ambassador to Thailand, said:”The UAE and Thailand have enjoyed distinguished historical bilateral relations for nearly 45 years, characterized by friendship and political consensus and cooperation in various fields.”

He added: “The dispatch of medical assistance today confirms the keenness of the UAE leadership to develop relations at all levels with Thailand, especially in the field of health and prevention, and support the efforts of medical personnel to contain the pandemic.”

To date, the UAE has responded to the COVID-19 crisis by providing over 956 metric tons of aid to 68 countries, supporting more than 956,000 medical professionals in the process.

Source: UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Mahir Aliyev, Ambassador of Azerbaijan, has expressed appreciation to the UAE for sending an aid plane carrying 11 metric tonnes of medical supplies to his country to bolster its efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus, COVID-19.

This aid will assist approximately 11,000 medical professionals as they work to contain the virus.

“Solidarity and cooperation among the world’s nations is the only way to overcome the impact of COVID-19 pandemic,” Aliyev said.

Dena Assaf, the United Nations Resident Coordinator for the UAE, praised the UAE’s pioneering humanitarian approach of providing support to the countries of the world to help them mitigate the repercussions of COVID-19.

To date, the UAE has responded to the COVID-19 crisis by providing over 946 metric tons of aid to 67 countries, supporting more than 946,000 medical professionals in the process.

Source: UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs

ISLAMABAD – The United Nations has accused Taliban insurgents and Afghan government forces of deliberate attacks on the country’s health care workers and facilities during the coronavirus outbreak.

The pandemic has infected nearly 29,000 Afghans, killing close to 600, although independent experts and even Afghan officials fear the actual rate is much higher, due to lack of testing availability.

In a special report released Sunday, the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan documents 15 incidents of violence targeting healthcare since early March, when the pandemic reached the war-torn country.

“Most of these healthcare-related incidents — eight of the targeted attacks and two of the incidents with incidental harm — were attributed to the Taliban,” according to the UNAMA findings.

The report held Afghan security forces responsible for three “targeted” attacks against healthcare. It said one instance of incidental harm to healthcare occurred during clashes between government forces and Taliban insurgents.

The UNAMA condemns all deliberate attacks, threats, abductions and other intentional acts against healthcare facilities and personnel.

“Perpetrating targeted attacks on healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when health resources are already stretched and of critical importance to the civilian population, is particularly reprehensible,” Fiona Frazer, UNAMA chief of human rights, said.

The report described as the “most abhorrent” a May 12 armed attack against a maternity ward run by Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF, in the Afghan capital, Kabul, which remains unattributed to date.

MSF said the “horrifying” assault on its facility killed 25 people, including 16 women, with five of them “minutes, or at most hours, from giving birth.”

While the Taliban denied its involvement in the carnage, a lack of progress into subsequent Afghan official investigation apparently forced the French charity to close the maternity ward, fearing more attacks in future.

“At a time when an urgent humanitarian response was required to protect every life in Afghanistan, both the Taliban and Afghan national security forces carried out deliberate acts of violence that undermined healthcare operations,” said Deborah Lyons, the UNAMA chief.

“There is no excuse for such actions; the safety and well-being of the civilian population must be a priority,” she said.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul is also said to be battling a COVID-19 outbreak. An Associated Press report said that up to 20 staffers, including diplomats, contractors and locals have contracted the virus. The majority of them are Nepalese Gurkhas, who provide embassy security, it said.

“The embassy is implementing all appropriate measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” the State Department said late Friday.

Deadly clashes continue

The U.N. report came on a day that Afghan officials reported new clashes between government forces and the Taliban in the country’s north.

Local officials in Takhar and neighboring Baghlan provinces told VOA that insurgents staged coordinated predawn assaults on security outposts, killing nine Afghan security forces and injuring more than a dozen others. The Taliban also overran at least three outposts, they added.

Afghanistan’s National Security Council said Sunday Taliban attacks during the past week have killed 42 civilians and injured more than 100 others across the country. There was no immediate reaction from the insurgent group.

Both the Afghan adversaries are preparing to hold a preliminary round of long-awaited peace talks in Qatar to negotiate a permanent peace and power-sharing arrangement.

The proposed intra-Afghan peace dialogue is stipulated in a landmark agreement the United States signed with the Taliban in February to end nearly two decades of war in Afghanistan.

Source: Voice of America

The UAE today sent an aid plane carrying 11 metric tons of medical supplies to Azerbaijan to bolster the country’s efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19.

This aid will assist approximately 11,000 medical professionals as they work to contain the virus.

Commenting on the aid delivery, H.E. Mohammed Ahmed Hamel Al Qubaisi, UAE Ambassador to Azerbaijan, said: “Relations between the UAE and Azerbaijan are progressing significantly in many areas. This is supported by the shared vision of the leadership of the two countries in strengthening ties of friendship, understanding, and mutual support on many regional and international issues of common concern and in various international fora.”

His Excellency added, “The dispatch of medical aid aircraft today is a testament to the UAE leadership’s adoption of a supportive approach to friendly countries in various circumstances, especially in light of the challenges the world is now facing in the fight against the pandemic.”

To date, the UAE has responded to the COVID-19 crisis by providing over 946 metric tons of aid to 67 countries, supporting more than 946,000 medical professionals in the process.

Source: UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs