UNHCR hails UAE humanitarian support in Pakistan

Islamabad: August 11, 2013 (WAM) - UNHCR's Representative in Pakistan, Neill Wright has lauded the outstanding and unprecedented role of the United Arab Emirates under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in improving the difficult humanitarian conditions faced by the people in Pakistan due to floods and natural disasters. Wright praised UAE's benevolence and march of goodness, laid down by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, encompassing almost every country in the world. And the legacy continued by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan under the system of charitable and humanitarian work for the United Arab Emirates. In a statement to Emirates News Agency (WAM), the UNHCR representative Neill Wright said that he is following- up with pride and appreciation the projects implemented by the UAE in Pakistan as per the directives and initiatives of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as one of the pilot projects, the provision of the necessary infrastructure of roads, bridges, schools and hospitals, health centres and basic services and the provision of water for the people of Pakistan, who have faced difficult circumstances over the past years, will guarantee them the means to a decent life. The UN official expressed the hope to strengthen the partnership and cooperation with the UAE project to help Pakistan to alleviate severe shortages of basic necessary services. He said that the concerted efforts of both sides of the UAE and the UNHCR will bring additional gains to the beneficiaries of their programmes in Pakistan and will add a new dimension and a qualitative leap to their future projects. In response to a question on UAE Project to Assist Pakistan (UPAP) and the delivery of 49 schools in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and South Waziristan, Neil Wright said that these schools, which were established by the UAE, will always be remembered by the future generations and contribute effectively in the current education system. He praised the efforts of the UAE in the establishment of the first training and rehabilitation centre for women in Pakistan, which will be an important and necessary addition to improve the conditions of the families and women in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He also mentioned the vital projects carried out by the UAE in Pakistan, including Sheikh Zayed Bridge and Sheikh Khalifa Bridge on the Swat river, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed road in Waziristan, pointing out that these development projects will help lessen the plight of the people in the affected areas. "These vital projects, especially roads and bridges facilities are essential for Pakistani people in order to help them to move from place to another," he asserted. The UN official praised UAE's continued support for international efforts in eradicating the endemic diseases, referring to a campaign to vaccinate 20,000 children against measles and polio in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in Pakistan. Over the status of internally displaced persons, he added that it depends on the end of the military operations and addressing the negative impacts of the natural calamities, pointing out that there is one million Pakistanis who are displaced due to these events, most of them in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He added that the major challenges facing displaced people that they lack everything, such as food, protection, basic resources and funds as well as the provision of security, but most of them have been subjected to risk, such as women lost their husbands and there are children and patients, who need the support and therefore the aid that we receive are classified and divided in various activities and areas and sectors, whether for the displaced, health or education, etc. It is a comprehensive process, but must provide continuous sources. At the end, Wright expressed his hope to work more with the UAE in 2014. – Emirates News Agency, WAM