UAE offers AED184 million in support of post-liberation stability in Mosul

ABU DHABI, 3rd October, 2016 (WAM) -- The UAE announced on Sunday that it would provide AED184 million (US$50 m) to restore stability, and aid reconstruction efforts in the Iraqi city of Mosul, after its expected liberation from the terrorist group Daesh. The UAE initiative comes as part of its humanitarian response plan, after the expected liberation of the city, in a bid to enhance stability and support efforts for reconstruction and the return home of internally displaced persons. It also underscores the UAE's continuous policy of delivering foreign aid, given its status as one of the world's top generous providers of foreign assistance, with the aim of alleviating the suffering of people in sisterly and friendly countries. As an active actor in international counter-terrorism efforts, the UAE believes in the importance of providing assistance, as the greatest priority to areas liberated from terrorist groups, to help in easing the impact of social and economic fallout, consolidate stability, aid in efforts to repatriate internally displaced persons and ensure that terrorism and extremism will never return to liberated areas. The Mosul reconstruction and stability plan is also consistent with the UAE's policy for continuing support to Iraq. Last April, the UAE extended AED37 m ($10 m) to the UNDP’s Funding Facility for Immediate Stabilisation (FFIS), to help accelerate the stabilisation of areas newly liberated from Daesh in Iraq, including the Governorates of Anbar, Salah al-Din, and Diyala. Today, the UAE is one of the key actors in international counter-terrorism efforts, and is working to back development plans, in parallel with liberation plans of areas under the control of terrorist groups in Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan and other countries. Iraqi areas under Daesh control are experiencing dire living conditions due to the inhuman practices by extremist groups. In this context, reconstruction of infrastructure in the health, education and electricity sectors remains a tremendous challenge after liberation. The UAE hopes its post-liberation response plan in Mosul would contribute to returning life to normal in the city, one of the world's areas hardest hit by the Daesh terrorist group. Over the past five years, the UAE contributed AED670 m ($180 m) in foreign aid to Iraq, according to statistics issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. – (Emirates News Agency, WAM) http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates-international-aid/1395300646116.html