Al Zaabi addresses UNHCR meeting on Syria

Geneva: The United Arab Emirates had, since the beginning of conflict in Syria, come forward to provide support to the Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries, Obaid Salem Al Zaabi, UAE Permanent Representative to the UN headquarters in Geneva, has said. Addressing a meeting of the member states of UNHCR's governing Executive Committee (ExCom) yesterday, Al Zaabi commended neighbouring countries hosting thousands of Syrian refugees. Al Zaabi said the UAE pledged support to the Arab initiative on Syria in 2011 and joined 'Friends of Syria' group. In January 2013, His Highness General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces announced UAE's donation of US$ 300 million in aid for displaced Syrians. Recently, the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Humanitarian Foundation (Khalifa Foundation) launched a US$ 27 million relief project for Syrians refugees in Lebanon. In Jordan, the UAE Red Crescent Authority built the UAE- Jordanian Hospital in Al Mafraq area to cater for Syrian refugees, while Khalifa Foundation provided 2,000 mobile homes to the refugees there. Al Zaabi underlined UAE's funding of a camp for Syrian refugees Mreijeeb al-Fuhood area, east of Amman. The camp is built on a 220,000-square meter area and accommodates over 25,000 refugees. – Emirates News Agency, WAM