Under the directives of Mohammed bin Rashid… providing a grant of 43 million dirhams to the World Food Program, allocated to the residents of Gaza

Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, “may God protect him,” the “Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives” Foundation announced the provision of a grant worth 43 million dirhams ($11.7 million) to provide food support. Directly to the residents of the Gaza Strip in cooperation with the World Food Program of the United Nations, bringing the total support provided by the Initiatives Foundation to the World Food Program to support the less fortunate communities in the world to 230 million dirhams (more than 62.6 million dollars), since the beginning of cooperation between the two parties in 2021. .

This came during an agreement concluded by the Initiatives Foundation with the World Food Programme, on the sidelines of the two sides’ participation in the World Economic Forum in the Swiss city of Davos from January 15 to 19.
Under the agreement, the “Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives” provides the grant to the World Food Program, so that it can feed more than one million beneficiaries in the Gaza Strip. The Initiatives Foundation also concluded a second agreement with the World Food Program in order to implement sustainable food projects in the world and deliver Food aid to the widest possible segment of the poorest groups.
The agreements were signed by Mohammed Al Gergawi, Secretary-General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives Foundation, and Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the World Food Programme.

New projects
On the sidelines of the Davos Forum, the Initiatives Foundation delegation, headed by Mohammed Al Gergawi, held a meeting with the World Food Program delegation headed by Cindy McCain, where the two sides discussed cooperation paths to achieve their common goals of helping the less fortunate groups in the world, and ways to implement sustainable food projects in several countries.
During the meeting, Mohammed Al Gergawi reviewed some of the humanitarian initiatives implemented by the UAE in the Gaza Strip, to help the Palestinian people face the difficult conditions they are experiencing due to the current events in the Strip. The two parties also discussed ways to enhance the scope of their partnership to increase the number of beneficiaries of direct food support to the residents of Gaza.

Sustainable programmes
Mohammed Al Gergawi, Secretary-General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives Foundation, said: “The Initiatives Foundation, under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, continues to provide food support to the brotherly Palestinian people in Gaza to enable it to face the difficult humanitarian conditions it is experiencing as a result of recent events.
He added: “This new grant provided by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives Foundation comes within the UAE’s ongoing efforts to support the Palestinian people and help those affected in the Gaza Strip at various levels. This agreement with the World Food Program will contribute to expanding the circle of beneficiaries of the support.” Direct food in the Gaza Strip, where the program will be able to deliver food to one million people in the Strip.
Mohammed Al Gergawi also pointed out that the agreement with the World Food Program to implement sustainable food projects in the world is considered an important new step in the long-term cooperation between the two sides to achieve their common vision and goals to help the less fortunate groups and achieve the sustainable development goals of eliminating hunger by 2030.

Generous contribution
Samer Abdel Jaber, Director of the World Food Program Office and Representative in Palestine, said: “This generous contribution comes at a crucial time to help meet the rapidly growing food needs of the affected Palestinians, and will enhance WFP’s efforts to provide life-saving food assistance to civilians facing significant challenges and levels of It is critical to food insecurity in the Gaza Strip, and it also indicates the long-term cooperation between the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives Foundation and the World Food Programme.”
The latest Integrated Food Security and Nutrition Phase Classification report highlighted alarming levels of food insecurity in the Gaza Strip, with the entire population facing crisis or worse levels of acute food insecurity, and the report warned of possible famine if current conditions persist.
The World Food Program has been providing food to the residents of Gaza daily since October 7, 2023, and the program’s food aid reached more than 900,000 people last December.

Humanitarian leadership

The United Nations reported in July 2023, through the report “The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World,” that “between 691 and 783 million people faced hunger in 2022, with an average of 735 million people, which represents an increase of 122 million people compared to 2019.”
The joint report issued by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization and the World Food Programme, warned of the bleak possibility, in light of these statistics, of the inability to achieve the sustainable development goal of eliminating Zero hunger by 2030.
“Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives,” which was established in 2015, represents a supportive umbrella for a group of initiatives and institutions launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, “may God protect him.” Today, it includes dozens of initiatives and institutions that Charitable and humanitarian work programs are implemented within five main axes, which are humanitarian and relief aid, health care and disease control, disseminating education and knowledge, innovating the future and leadership, and empowering communities, in a way that supports institutional humanitarian work, achieves its sustainability, expands its positive impact, and establishes a culture of hope in the region and the world and contributes to In achieving the desired development for a better future.
It is noteworthy that the volume of spending by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives Foundation during the year 2022 amounted to 1.4 billion dirhams, benefiting 102 million people in 100 countries around the world, and 30.2 million people benefited from the programs and initiatives of the humanitarian and relief aid axis under the Foundation’s umbrella, with a volume of spending worth 910 million. Dirham.