UAE President orders additional $50m to aid quake-hit Syria

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has ordered the provision of an additional $50 million as relief aid for quake-affected people in Syria, with $20 million of the sum to be allocated to implement humanitarian projects in response to the emergency appeal of the United Nations (UN) regarding Syria.

The project will be carried out in coordination with the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA).

Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) praised the UAE's provision of additional $50 million to earthquake-affected in Syria.

In his statement, Martin Griffiths said, "The generous response of the UAE is not only timely, but critical to rescue lives and provide much-needed relief to people affected and in desperate needs since the devastating earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey.”

The additional aid batch is a continuation of the UAE's ongoing efforts to support the Syrian people, provide required assistance as relief for quake-affected people, and to support the efforts of the UN and its partners in providing further relief aid to mitigate the disaster’s fallout.

The UAE President had previously directed providing $50 million to aid those affected by earthquakes in Syria, and an additional US$50 million to aid people in Türkiye.

Meanwhile, the UAE is continuing, for the tenth consecutive day, to send relief supplies to Syria and Türkiye, with a total of 70flights sent so far to each Syria and Türkiye.

For the Syrian side, the 38 flights airlifted about 1,243 metric tonnes of food and medical aid, in addition to 2,893 tents, enough to shelter around 20,000 people. A search and rescue (SAR) team, comprising 42 rescuers, was sent to Syria to carry out SAR missions in quake-hit areas.

As for the Turkish side, the 32 flights airlifted medical equipment and supplies, and 927 shelter materials, enough to help 5,000 beneficiaries.

Moreover, a field hospital was opened in the İslahiye district of Gaziantep, Türkiye, with an inpatient ward comprising 50 fully-equipped beds, operating rooms and a medical team of 75 doctors, nurses and assistants, with another 200-bed hospital recently completed in the Hatay province. In addition, an SAR team, comprising 92 rescuers, was sent to carry out SAR operations in Kahramanmaraş.

WAM