Gulf News

US TV host Steve Harvey floored by UAE President’s generosity

Celebrity recounts how Mohammad helped dispatch PPE to Botswana

- BY FAISAL MASUDI Assistant Editor

US comedian and TV host Steve Harvey has praised the generosity of President His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for UAE’s assistance to countries impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The remarks came in a video of Harvey posted yesterday by UAE Forsan — which describes itself as “a voluntary media group which aims to serve as a leading platform in showcasing news, events and achievemen­ts of the UAE and its residents” — on its YouTube channel.

Harvey revealed that supplies of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to Botswana in Africa – for which Harvey has been credited in facilitati­ng – was in fact all thanks to the kindness of Shaikh Mohammad.

Harvey said the southern African country had placed a paid-for order of PPE from a country, but never received the shipment. “So I called up the government of the UAE and said, ‘Can you help these people?’… And they got [Shaikh Mohammad] on the phone.” Promptly, on His Highness’ orders, seven tonnes of PPE supplies were flown from Abu Dhabi to Botswana on two cargo planes.

Harvey also lauded the UAE’s safety and security, describing it as a place where there is virtually no joblessnes­s or homelessne­ss.

[Shaikh Mohammad] gave it to them for zero [cost], he didn’t charge them one single coin. What Ruler do you know who does that, cares about another group of people?”

The generosity of President His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in UAE’s assistance to communitie­s abroad impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic has won heartfelt praise from US comedian and TV host Steve Harvey.

Harvey, who has visited the UAE earlier, revealed that the free supplies of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to Botswana – which Harvey was credited with facilitati­ng – was in fact all thanks to Shaikh Mohammad.

The remarks come in a video of Harvey posted on Saturday by UAE Forsan – which describes itself as “a voluntary media group which aims to serve as a leading platform in showcasing news, events and achievemen­ts of the United Arab Emirates and its residents” – on its YouTube channel.

The video is an excerpt from Harvey’s keynote at the Invest Fest 2022 event in August in Atlanta, USA. “This man [Shaikh Mohammad] is one of the kindest men in power I’ve ever seen,” Harvey says in the clip. Explaining the “overwhelmi­ng kindness” of Shaikh Mohammad in the context of the Covid relief efforts in Botswana, Harvey said

Steve Harvey | Celebrity TV anchor

the southern African country had placed a paid-for order of PPE from another country – but never received the shipment.

“So I called up the government of the UAE and said, ‘Can you help these people?’… And they got the Ruler [Shaikh Mohammad] on the phone.”

Some 7 tonnes of PPE supplies were flown from Abu Dhabi to Botswana on two cargo planes.

“[Shaikh Mohammad] gave it to them for zero [cost], he didn’t charge them one single coin. What Ruler do you know who does that, cares about another group of people?”

Harvey added that he was told “This [relief] is from you and your wife” – however, Harvey goes on to share in the clip that “[Botswana] thanked us but I couldn’t just keep taking credit for that. So let me quit playing it out like it was me. No, it was this man [Shaikh Mohammad]… one of the most powerful men in the world… When you meet these people [Emiratis], they are the kindest, most sincere people I’ve ever been around. And I will I will stand up and say that about this man anywhere I go in the world.”

Harvey also lauded the UAE’s safety and security, describing it as a place where there is virtually no joblessnes­s or homelessne­ss.

 ?? Gulf News Archives ?? Steve Harvey during an earlier visit to the UAE.
Gulf News Archives Steve Harvey during an earlier visit to the UAE.

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