Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of International Cooperation and Development, Head of the UAE Committee for Coordination of Humanitarian Foreign Aid, has said that the United Arab Emirates is committed to supporting the process of development for all peoples of the world, in line with the state's tireless efforts towards the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and achieving the targets of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, in her speech on the occasion of International Human Solidarity Day, which is marked on 20 December each year, said that the UAE has adopted a humanitarian approach focused on supporting the aspirations of peoples and extending a helping hand to the needy as a foundation and mainstay of the state's foreign policy. She added that this approach is consistent with the directives of the UAE's wise leadership, and the philosophy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding leader of the state.

Sheikha Lubna said that the UAE has focused in its humanitarian approach on enabling communities and peoples to obtain clean energy, food, education, health care, sustainable economic growth, and an eco-friendly environment – which are priority issues for the UAE's wise leadership – and on supporting social services, public programs, and humanitarian assistance in emergency situations among others.

Sheikha Lubna noted that International Human Solidarity Day comes as an occasion to remind the international community of the need to join forces and cooperate to alleviate the suffering affecting many peoples, regardless of race, religion, and gender.

Sheikha Lubna said that the value of development, humanitarian, and charity aid provided by the UAE during the past 44 years since the establishment of the Union is estimated at Dh 174 billion. She added that UAE aid included 21 sectors, and was distributed to 178 countries that have benefited from projects and programs managed by UAE donor institutions during the period between 1971 through 2014.

She said that more than 43 donor institutions are currently operating in the UAE, which is an extension of the path of UAE humanitarian, charitable, and development assistance that began in 1971.
Source: WAM