Sheikh Mohammed personally paid to transport aid to quake-hit Indonesia
It’s not the first time Sheikh Mohammed has stepped up to help a country in need…
On September 28, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Indonesia’s Central Sulawesi province, leaving 2000 dead and more than 70,000 homeless.
Dubai’s International Humanitarian City this week sent 92 metric tonnes of relief items to the quake-hit region, on behalf of UNICEF. And it turns out H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, played a crucial role in making it happen.
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According to the International Humanitarian City, Sheikh Mohammed covered the cost of chartering the cargo aircraft to deliver the aid.
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HRH Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, chairperson of the International Humanitarian City, also shared a post to Instagram, noting the supplies would provide “essential equipment and support to those who need it most”.
It’s not the first time Sheikh Mohammed has stepped up to help a country in need. In April, the ruler filled his private cargo jet with 80 metric tonnes of food, and sent it to Papua New Guinea, which had been hit by a devastating earthquake.
In October 2016, the ruler famously loaded the 747B-400 with Dhs1.3 million worth of emergency supplies to send to cyclone-hit Haiti. Princess Haya was also onboard the jet to ensure everything was distributed to plan.
In April, the UAE was named the world’s largest donor of official development aid, relative to its national income, for the fifth year in a row.
The UAE gave Dhs19.3 billion worth of development assistance in 2017, making up 1.31 per cent of its national income.
The United Nations recommends economically-advanced countries spend at least 0.7 per cent of their gross national income on aid.
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