UAE aid to Syria crosses $5 billion

The UAE foreign assistance to Syria reached AED3.59 billion ($5.01 billion) from 2012 to the beginning of 2019, according to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and UAE AID. According to ministry figures, 94.5 per cent of the total assistance went into humanitarian work and the remaining 5.4 per cent was utilised in the development aid sector, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.

The major chunk of the assistance - more than AED1.23 billion ($335.1 million) - was spent on food aid. Similarly, AED711.3 million ($193.7 million) was given in the form of shelter and non-food items. AED635.5 million ($173.0 million) was allocated to the health sector, while figures for the logistics, coordination and support services totalled AED567.4 million ($154.5 million). AED190.1 million was allocated to the education sector, while water and sanitation assistance stood at AED233.2 million ($63.5 million). The country’s contributions to the social services sector reached AED15.3 million ($4.2 million).

As for miscellaneous projects, the aid provided to the Syrians stood at AED3.0 million ($0.83 million).