UAE donates Dh7.35m for better nutrition for Rohingya refugees
dubai — One out of every five Rohingya refugee children in Bangladesh is suffering from acute malnutrition, and the UAE has joined hands with the UNHCR to help support the nutrition programme run in refugee camps.
The UAE has donated Dh7.35 million to support the programme that will cover the needs of 132,700 refugees, including 78,000 adult women and children.
The UAE-UNHCR cooperation was launched on Friday with the visit of UAE’s assistant minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for International Organisations Affairs, Yacoub Al Hosani.
He visited the Kutupalong refugee settlement in Bangladesh and said: “The situation of Rohingya refugees is very difficult, especially those women and children who suffer from malnutrition.”
“The UAE expresses appreciation to the Bangladesh government and the people of Bangladesh for their humanitarian stances, especially in hosting Rohingya refugees who fled forcibly. The UAE will increase support to the UNHCR, the UN agencies, and all the humanitarian organisations, to help provide assistance and relief to the Rohingya refugees,” he said.
The minister toured the nutrition centres, met with UNHCR staff, partner agency workers and got a first-hand impression of the plight of refugees. He was accompanied by Kevin Allen, head of UNHCR’s emergency operations for the Rohingya refugee response in Bangladesh.
Speaking to Khaleej Times over the phone, Firaz Al Khateeb, UNHCR spokesperson in Bangladesh, said the Dh7.35 million contribution by the UAE has come at a dire time when the Rohingya refugee response programme is reeling under a funding crunch.
“The UN has launched a $952 million response programme, and only 15 per cent of it has been met so far. The UAE’s contribution is enough to support the nutrition programme for the next few months.”
“As per the last nutrition survey the UNHCR conducted in 2017, the overall global acute malnutrition rate for refugee children in Bangladesh was 18.2 per cent.”
Out of the 780,000 people from Rohingya who fled Myanmar last year, more than 65 per cent are children.
“One out of five children being malnourished is a challenging situation.
The UAE expresses appreciation to the Bangladesh government and the people of Bangladesh for their humanitarian stances, especially in hosting Rohingya refugees who fled forcibly.” Yacoub Al Hosani, Assistant Minister, Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
Out of this, almost four per cent is suffering from severe acute malnutrition, which means they need medical care and should be referred to our recovery centres,” said the spokesperson.
The UNHCR has established nutrition programmes in 10 camps across Kutupalong, Chakmarkul
One out of five children being malnourished is a challenging situation. Out of this, almost four per cent is suffering from severe acute malnutrition, which means they need medical attention.” Firaz Al Khateeb, UNHCR spokesperson in Bangladesh
and Nayapara settlements, covering the needs of 132,700 refugees, including 78,000 adult women and children.
The nutrition programme will ensure children and breast-feeding mothers are provided with milk and nutritious meal.
The Rohingya refugee crisis is one of the fastest growing humanitarian crisis in South East Asia with more than 650,000 people forced to flee from Myanmar’s Rakhine state due to violence and persecution.
In 2017-2018, the UAE’s contribution has touched Dh27.55 million to the UNHCR global operations.