The Dubai Council for the Future of Humanitarian Work (DCFHW) recently held a virtual meeting to discuss various initiatives carried out by its member entities to reduce the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic. During the meeting, the DCFHW members agreed on expanding the scope of humanitarian initiatives undertaken by the organization to limit the impact of Coronavirus on individuals, families and communities across the world. DCFHW member organizations also presented their future plans to boost humanitarian action with the aim of mitigating the global impact of the pandemic.

Ever since the pandemic outbreak began in the UAE, the DCFHW has been monitoring the national response and progress of the various international cooperation programs launched with the aim of addressing the impact of Coronavirus on all sectors. These initiatives sought to reinforce the pioneering role of the UAE and Dubai in line with regional and global initiatives.

Chaired by Saeed Al Eter, Assistant Secretary-General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) and President of the DCFHW, the meeting also saw the participation of Dubai Cares CEO Tariq Al Gurg; International Humanitarian City Deputy CEO Khalid Al Awadi; MBRGI Advisor Dr Waleed Al Ali; Dr. Manal Taryam, Executive Director of the Noor Dubai Foundation and Chief Executive Officer of the Primary Health Care Services Sector; Ahmed Darwish Al Muhairi, Executive Director of the Charity Sector at the Dubai Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department; Index Holding Chairman Abdulsalam Al Madani; and Mousa Khoury, Head of Shari’a Management at Dubai Islamic Bank.

At the same time, the video-conference meeting was also attended by Gerhard Putman, Permanent Observer of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva, and Director of the International Scientific Advisory Board at the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development (DIHAD).

During the meeting, Al Eter hailed the swift regional and international response launched by various charity and humanitarian organisations in Dubai and the UAE in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also lauded the humanitarian programmes carried out by member organisations of the DCFHW, highlighting that these entities helped in dispatching around 75 percent of the World Food Programme’s food aid from Dubai to the most affected communities in the world.

In addition, Gerhard Putman noted the key global role played by the UAE and its support to the international humanitarian efforts in containing the implications of the pandemic crisis on vulnerable sections of society.

Dubai Cares CEO Tariq Al Gurg highlighted that the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the education sector across the world as more than 1.5 billion students in over 190 countries were forced to study from home amid the closure of schools. He added that the Dubai Cares launched the "Education Interrupted" campaign and "Inspiring Humanitarian Initiative in the UAE in partnership with the Ministry of Education to ensure continuity of learning for the students.

Khalid Al Awadi underlined the rapid response ensured by the International Humanitarian City in addressing the pandemic crisis.

Dr.Taryam stressed the efforts undertaken by the Noor Dubai Foundation, particularly highlighting it's testing and diagnosis services in Nigeria and Senegal. Dr Taryam added that the cooperation and partnership between various sectors at local and federal levels helped in boosting the regional and global response of the organisation in combating the pandemic. 

WAM