The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, and the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment, MBRHC, on Tuesday signed an agreement to secure cash assistance for over 1,240 returnee Iraqi families in Mosul. Through this agreement, the MBRHC dedicates some AED367,851 (US$100,105) of funding to provide life-saving cash assistance to 207 families returning to Mosul.

Recognising the importance of securing cash assistance, Khaled Khalifa, UNHCR Regional Representative to the GCC, said, "I would like to express my appreciation to the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment for assisting displaced families in Iraq. I am confident this generous donation will provide protection and will maintain dignity to those families."

Cash assistance is a very effective way of ensuring that the most of urgent humanitarian needs are met in a timely manner. It gives beneficiaries the dignity of choice in purchasing items that are most needed. It also supports the local economy and encourages participation in local market mechanisms.

Saleh Zaher Al Mazrui, General Manager of MBRHC, said that the UAE is known for its remarkable humanitarian efforts, and, "it’s only our duty to extend our support to reach out to the most vulnerable communities in conflict and non-conflict areas. We at Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment believe in the importance of maintaining the dignity of vulnerable people by responding to their most pressing humanitarian needs, which is why supporting initiatives such as UNHCR’s cash assistance to meet basic needs, are most essential."

More than 211,500 individuals are currently displaced as a result of the on-going Mosul operations which began on 17th October, 2016. On 19th February, Iraqi forces launched the operation to retake the western part of Mosul, after successfully gaining control over the entire eastern part of the city.

As areas in Mosul are retaken by Iraqi forces, displaced Iraqis have been leaving camps and host communities to return to their areas of origin. So far, according to the International Organisation for Migration, more than 10,600 families (63,800 individuals) have returned to areas of origin in Mosul.

Toby Harward, UNHCR Head of Office in the UAE, emphasised the importance of cash assistance in providing the returnees with the flexibility on how best to use cash assistance for their recovery. "Having a well-esteemed entity from the UAE supporting our work in Mosul is of vital importance in our goal to build partnerships in the region," he said.

Source: WAM