The UAE Foreign Ministry has released for the first time, their Foreign Aid report for 2009 covering the donations they made during that year. In total, the Emirates (government and NGOs) gave AED 8.93 billion (US$ 2.43 billion) to 92 countries across the world. Here’s the list of key recipients:
- Yemen – AED 2,836 million (US$771 million)
- Pakistan – AED 1,604 million (US$ 436 million)
- Afghanistan – AED 1,261 million (US$ 343 million)
- Palestinian Territories – AED 965 million (US$ 262)
- Syria – AED 310 million (US$ 84 million)
- Tanzania – AED 180 million (US$ 49 million)
- USA – AED 154 million (US$ 42 million)
- Egypt – AED 143 million (US$ 39 million)
- Seychelles – AED 132 million (US$ 36 million)
- Kazakhstan – AED 91 million (US$ 25 million)
- Morocco – AED 78 million (US$ 21 million)
- Lebanon – AED 77 million (US$ 21 million)
- Eritrea – AED 75 million (US$ 20 million)
- Maldives – AED 56 million (US$ 15 million)
Of the US$21 million that was donated to Lebanon, half of it came from the UAE Federal government; the rest originated from NGOs and other organizations. Of the US$ 11 million provided by the government, 85% went towards education, 13% towards government and civil society projects, and the remainder was donated to Lebanese NGOs.
Gulf News: The UAE provided $21 million in aid to Lebanon in 2009.