ADFD Confirms Arrival of Second Educational Supplies Shipment
Abu Dhabi,28 Jan 2020
Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, the leading national entity for economic development aid, confirmed the delivery of the second shipment of educational supplies and classroom equipment to Sudan, to cover the needs of 240,000 students. The second shipment falls within the framework of the UAE’s commitment of AED55 million (US$15 million), to fund the purchase of school supplies catering to 400,000 students in Sudanese schools.
Last month, ADFD, in cooperation with the Sudanese government, supervised the delivery of the first shipment of school supplies for 10,000 students.
His Excellency Hamad Mohammed Humaid Al Junaibi, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Sudan, and His Excellency Lieutenant General Ahmed Abdoun Hammad, Wali (Governor) in Charge of Khartoum State, were present to receive the second shipment in Sudan.
Speaking on the occasion, His Excellency Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of ADFD, said: “We are confident that the education support to Sudan will drive efforts to ensure national self-sufficiency in the long run, build a knowledge-based economy, bolster comprehensive sustainable development and enable the Sudanese people to lead more prosperous lives.”
He added: “Our support provided to Sudan is a result of the guidance of the UAE leadership and its keenness to ensure the provision of educational requirements for the Sudanese people. We are committed to providing 400,000 Sudanese students with essential school supplies. The remaining educational shipments are expected to arrive in Sudan by end-February 2020.”
For his part, His Excellency Hamad Mohammed Al Junaibi said: “Today, we received the second UAE aid shipment to support 240,000 students, in several Sudanese states, in completing their education equipped with all the necessary requirements.”
He added that the support including education requirements and food supplies demonstrates the UAE’s commitment to support Sudan in overcoming difficult conditions and achieving sustainable growth.
As announced in April 2019, the school supplies support package falls within the framework of the AED11 billion (US$3 billion) UAE-Saudi Arabia joint aid package aimed at maintaining Sudan’s economic and financial stability.
As part of the package the UAE and Saudi Arabia deposited a financial allocation of US$500 million into the Central Bank of Sudan (CBOS), evenly split between the two countries, to strengthen the Bank’s financial position. They UAE has also dispatched 540,000 tonnes of wheat worth US$150 million to enhance food security in Sudan.
The remainder of the aid package has been earmarked to meet the urgent needs of the Sudanese population for medicine, petroleum derivatives, and seasonal agricultural supplies, as well as to support sustainable economic development in the country.
