During the visit, MEP Antonio López-Istúriz, President of the EU-UAE Parliamentary Friendship Group, Secretary-General of the European People’s Party and Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, emphasized that the EU appreciates the UAE’s continued commitment to supporting regional and global efforts to provide protection and assistance to refugees and displaced persons throughout the world and in the Middle East in particular.
Antonio López-Istúriz added that the UAE's approach in supporting Syrian refugees aligns with the country’s values and its firm belief in human dignity and human rights. Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, the UAE has granted residence permits to more than 127,000 Syrians. It has also agreed to receive over 15,000 Syrian refugees over the next five years to join the UAE’s Syrian community of 242,000. The UAE is home to more than 200 nationalities.
Antonio López-Istúriz said: "It is important for us as Europeans, because this proves how the EU and the UAE share common values and concerns, especially with regard to the support of Syrian refugees. We were very impressed with the overall services and assistance provided for the Syrians here at the Mrajeeb Al Fhood refugee camp.
Dr Amal Al Qubaisi, President of FNC, stated: “The UAE has a solid track record in implementing charitable, relief and humanitarian initiatives. The UAE is among the largest international donors per capita and was ranked the world's top donor in 2016. Over the past two years, the UAE has provided humanitarian aid exceeding US$854 million to Syrian refugees.”
*Source: AETOSWire
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