UAE JOINS UN OCHA DONOR SUPPORT GROUP (ODSG); UAE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 002248 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT PASS TO USAID E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PHUM KPAL IZ AF AE SUBJECT: UAE JOINS UN OCHA DONOR SUPPORT GROUP (ODSG); UAE ASSISTANCE PROFILE REF: A. 04 ABU DHABI 4218 ¶B. 05 ABU DHABI 3266 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Already a regional leader in humanitarian assistance, the UAE announced at a May 9 conference in Abu Dhabi its decision to become the 20th member and the first non-Western country to join the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Donor Support Group (ODSG). USAID Conference Chairman welcomed the announcement, highlighting the "diversity" represented by UAE membership. Message profiles UAE international assistance in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Palestinian Territories primarily through the UAE Red Crescent Society, Sheikh Zayed Foundation, UAE President,s Office, Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Foundation (Dubai),and the Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Agriculture. END SUMMARY. 2.(SBU) The UAE, already a regional leader in humanitarian assistance, announced on May 9 that it has become the first non-Western country to join the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Donor Support Group (ODSG). At the conclusion of the Regional Partnerships in Humanitarian Response UN OCHA Conference on May 9 in Abu Dhabi, UAE Red Crescent Board Chairman Khalifa Nasser Al Suweidi announced that the UAE would become the 20th member of the ODSG. USAID Conference Chairman William Garvelink warmly welcomed the announcement, highlighting the "diversity" and "value added" of UAE membership. In addition to the UAE and U.S., conference attendees included OCHA officials from Geneva and Dubai Regional Office and representatives from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Turkey, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. As a result of joining ODSG, the UAE was invited to participate in the late May ODSG meeting in Washington. ¶3. (SBU) The Red Crescent was instrumental in securing UAEG commitment to join the ODSG. It was the Red Crescent that initially developed the proposal to join ODSG and advocated that the announcement be made at the OCHA conference. Red Crescent Secretary General Sana'a Derwish al-Kitbi told econoff on May 8 that she had discussed the issue personally with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah Bin Zayed al-Nahyan and Deputy Prime Minister Hamdan bin Zayed al-Nahyan (who also serves as the President of the Red Crescent). Although the Red Crescent considers itself an independent authority, the UAEG frequently relies upon the Red Crescent to represent the government (for example, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs designated the UAE Red Crescent to host and coordinate the OCHA conference on behalf of the UAEG). The UAE's leaders trust the Red Crescent to be one of the mechanisms through which the UAEG channels its humanitarian aid, and the Red Crescent clearly has influence in, and connections to, the UAEG. Thus the Red Crescent is more accurately described as a quasi-governmental organization than an independent authority. ¶4. (SBU) In his introductory remarks thanking UN and US officials for planning the conference, UAE Red Crescent Board Chairman al-Suweidi stressed the need for better organization in order "to reduce and eliminate human suffering" and also focused on the importance of coordination in delivering humanitarian assistance. He referred specifically to UAE help for Africa, Pakistan, Darfur, and the Tsunami victims, but did not mention UAE,s $100 million contribution to Hurricane Katrina relief. (DCM, attending conference, made a point of publicly thanking the UAE for its generous gift.) With regard to the Consolidated Appeal for the Horn of Africa launched by OCHA, al-Suweidi lamented the extremely low five (5) percent donation response rate and called for more governmental and NGO efforts to assist countries in the Horn of Africa. He stated that the UAE was following all developments in the assistance arena very closely and would not hesitate to participate in international programs. ¶5. (SBU) The UAE is a major aid donor. As a result of its ODSG membership, the UAE may send more of its humanitarian assistance via UN mechanisms. However, Embassy anticipates that the UAEG will continue to channel humanitarian aid through multiple avenues and maintain its preference for providing bilateral assistance. Historically, the UAE sends charitable contributions via quasi-governmental charities like the Red Crescent Society, the Mohammed bin Rashid Foundation in Dubai, and the Sheikh Zayed Foundation in Abu Dhabi. The Abu Dhabi Government also funds the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, which disburses grants and loans to needy governments for specific project development. In addition, the UAE sometimes chooses to fund specific projects directly. For example, in 2005, the Emirate of Abu Dhabi announced that it would fund a $100 million housing complex in Gaza for 30,000-40,000 displaced Palestinians. As opposed to channeling this project through an aid organization, implementation has been through the Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Agriculture. ¶6. (U) Below is a sampling of humanitarian assistance provided by UAE agencies and or charitable foundations via various aid mechanisms. (Note: These numbers do not represent the sum total of UAE international assistance. They are, however, a sampling of the projects and programs drawn from annual reports, meetings with officials of the aid organizations, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ref B. End note.) -- UAE Red Crescent Society (2005) * Iraq: $4,884,741 for shelter, medicine, medical supplies, food, etc. * Afghanistan: $4,039,782 for medicine, medical supplies, shelter, food, etc. * Palestinian Territories: $9,705,449 -- Sheikh Zayed Foundation (2003-2005) * Iraq: $1,279,995 for emergency relief -- Office of the President of the UAE (2003-2005) * Iraq: $2,452,491 for emergency relief, cash -- Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Agriculture (2005) * Palestinian Territories: $100 million for housing complex. -- Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Foundation (2003-2005) * Iraq: $95,290 for emergency relief SISON