VZCZCXRO5296
PP RUEHDE RUEHDIR
DE RUEHAD #4474/01 3481304
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 141304Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7869
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0523
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 0548
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0177
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0340
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 0998
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0273

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ABU DHABI 004474 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/RA, NEA/I, SCA 
STATE PASS TO USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL N/A 
TAGS: EAID PHUM KPAL IZ AF AE
 
SUBJECT: UAE HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO THE PALESTINAN TERRITORIES, 
IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN AND LEBANON IN 2006 
 
REF: A. 04 ABU DHABI 4218 
     ¶B. 05 ABU DHABI 3266 
 
¶1. (U) BEGIN SUMMARY: The UAE provides humanitarian assistance to 
the Palestinians, Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon primarily through 
its three quasi-governmental charities:  the UAE Red Crescent 
Society (RCS), the Sheikh Zayed Foundation (ZF), and the Dubai-based 
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charity Foundation (MRCF). On 
December 10, Econoffs met with Red Crescent officials to discuss 
their humanitarian projects in the Middle East.  Although there are 
no official figures of UAE humanitarian assistance available, post 
has consolidated information from press reports and UAE Red Crescent 
data for a better picture of UAE humanitarian assistance in 2006. 
UAE charitable organizations provided 14.32 million USD in 
assistance to the Palestinian territories in 2006. In addition, the 
UAE agreed to provide 100 million USD to build Sheikh Khalifa City 
in Gaza.  In 2006, the UAE Red Crescent donated 3.9 million USD to 
Iraq, 8 million USD to Afghanistan and 25.89 million USD to Lebanon 
as well as food, medicine and other relief supplies. In addition, 
the UAEG pledged 20 million USD to the U.N. Program for the Relief 
of Lebanon. This cable focuses on quasi-governmental and non 
governmental humanitarian aid, not official economic development 
assistance or security/military assistance. END SUMMARY. 
 
------------------------ 
PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES 
----------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) During a December 10 meeting with Econoffs, Dr. Saleh Al 
Taie, UAE Red Crescent Relief and Emergency Department Manager and 
Saleh Mohammed Al Mullah, Director General of the Relief and 
Emergency Department, discussed the Red Crescent's humanitarian 
assistance to Palestine.  The Red Crescent officials explained that 
all assistance is done through official channels, in coordination 
with the Palestinian Authority, the Israeli government, UNRWA, 
UNICEF, and the International Red Cross. Red Crescent officials said 
they work with two affiliate offices in the Palestinian territories, 
one in Gaza and the other in Jerusalem. 
 
¶3. (U) In 2006, the UAE Red Crescent Society (RCS) provided 
approximately 4.3 million USD in assistance to the Palestinian 
territories in the form of medicine and other relief supplies. In 
October, RCS, in collaboration with the Palestinian Forum for 
Development, oversaw a one million USD charity campaign sponsored by 
the UAE President to support orphans and the disabled and unemployed 
in the Palestinian territories. The RCS allocated another one 
million USD for "Iftars" (breakfast meals during the holy month of 
Ramadan, September/October). The RCS distributed about 200,000 meals 
to Palestinians under this project. On December 13, the RCS signed 
agreements with the UN to fund two construction projects in Gaza and 
the West Bank.  The RCS pledged 2.17 million USD for the rebuilding 
of houses in Gaza and 3.5 million USD for the rebuilding of homes in 
the West Bank. 
 
¶4. (U) In 2006, the Sheikh Zayed Foundation (ZF) pledged 5.9 million 
USD for health and social projects in coordination with the National 
Palestinian Authority and UNRWA. In addition, the Sheikh Mohammed 
bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charity Foundation (MRCF) announced a 2.72 
million USD fund to provide urgent drugs for treatment of kidney 
disease, cancer and diabetes at Palestinian hospitals.  The Emirates 
Charitable Work Authority financed a 400,000 USD factory for 
artificial limbs in the West Bank. 
 
¶5. (U) In March 2006, the UAE Department of Municipalities and 
Agriculture and representatives from the Palestinian Authority 
signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a 100 million USD 
housing complex(Sheikh Khalifa City)in Rafah, Gaza. Sheikh Khalifa 
City's foundation stone was laid on October 5, 2005 by UAE Foreign 
Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in a ceremony attended 
by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The development will include 
housing units, schools, health centers and other facilities. It will 
accommodate 30,000-40,000 displaced Palestinians 
 
----- 
IRAQ 
----- 
 
¶6. (SBU) On December 10, RCS officials told Econoff that the RCS 
provided 38.9 million USD in assistance to Iraq from 2002-2006.  RCS 
officials also said that at the beginning of 2006, the RCS launched 
 
ABU DHABI 00004474  002 OF 003 
 
 
a relief program spending 1.7 million USD to support Iraqis who 
faced severe weather conditions. Over 4,050 food parcels, mineral 
water and blankets were distributed by the RCS in collaboration with 
the UAE Embassy in Baghdad (which subsequently ceased active 
coordination in the summer of 2006 due to the security situation in 
Iraq) to 10,000 displaced people and 7,000 orphans in Baghdad, 
Basra, and Kurdistan.  Assistance was also provided to the families 
of "martyrs" and wounded in Alsadr city. During Ramadan, the RCS 
launched a 2.2 million USD "Iftar" project in Iraq to provide free 
meals. 
 
¶7. (SBU) According to media reports, and confirmed in a December 10 
meeting with Red Crescent authorities, the UAE has also provided 
medical treatment and rehabilitation for hundreds of Iraqi children. 
 Children suffering from chronic disease and those socially, 
psychologically or physically affected by the on-going violence 
received treatment in the UAE.  Red Crescent officials told Econoff 
that the UAE Red Crescent's office in Iraq has distributed what 
officials describe as "a huge quantity of medicines and medical 
necessities to Iraqi hospitals." 
 
¶8. (SBU) During the aforementioned December 10 meeting, officials 
from the RCS also told Econoff that they do not have any more funds 
available for assistance to Iraq, but said they are ready to begin 
fund raising campaigns if the UAEG tells them to do so. RCS 
officials said that they closed their offices in Iraq after the 
kidnapping of UAE diplomat Naji Al Noaimi this past summer. 
 
----------- 
AFGHANISTAN 
----------- 
 
¶9. (U) Local UAE newspapers reported that 70 percent of Sheikh Zayed 
City in Kabul, which cost 4 million USD, has been completed this 
year. The city includes 200 residential units, a mosque, two schools 
and a medical clinic. In addition, more than 1,000 wells were 
drilled in Kabul and Jalalabad in 2006. The RCS continued to send 
assistance to Afghanistan, including food parcels, flour, cooking 
oil, Iftar meals, clothes and school bags. The RCS's office in Kabul 
has provided humanitarian assistance to 571 orphans sponsored by the 
RCS in Afghanistan. 
 
¶10. (U) The Sheikh Zayed Foundation (ZF) has agreed to build a 4 
million USD maternity and pediatric clinic in Afghanistan. 
 
¶11. (U) According to press reports, during the visit of Afghan 
President Hamed Karzai to the UAE last May, Karzai met with the 
Governor of the UAE Central Bank, Sultan bin Nasser Al Suwaidi, who 
emphasized enhancing the ongoing cooperation between the UAE Central 
Bank and the Central Bank of Afghanistan, particularly in training. 
UAE Education Minister, Dr. Hanif Hassan, also expressed the UAE's 
commitment to help Afghanistan rebuild its educational 
infrastructure. 
 
-------- 
LEBANON 
-------- 
 
¶12. (SBU) RCS officials told Econoff that the bulk of UAE 
humanitarian assistance to Lebanon was due to the war between 
Hizballah and Israel in July, 2006. The UAE sent relief supplies, 
through a quickly-arranged "air bridge" with daily flights carrying 
aid to Beirut, reconstructed schools and hospitals, and built 
shelters for displaced Lebanese. The UAEG pledged 20 million USD to 
the UN Program for the Relief of Lebanon.  UAE aid included more 
than 4,000 tons of relief materials, 20,000 food packages, 112 
electricity generators, 25,000 gifts to orphans, 3,000 Iftar meals 
during Ramadan, as well as medicines, lamps, blankets, milk, 
vaccines, and tents. 
 
¶13. (U) UAE humanitarian assistance to Lebanon is mainly channeled 
through the RCS and Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charity 
Foundation (MRCF). In July, the RCS and MRCF in collaboration with 
the Emirati-Lebanese Friendship Association, Arab Media Group (AMG), 
and Dubai Media Corporation (DMC) launched an effective "Their 
Children are Ours" campaign which raised 14.97 million USD in 
support of Lebanon. 
 
¶14. (SBU) On December 10, RCS Deputy Secretary General for Relief & 
Emergency, Saleh Al Mulla told Econoff that RCS assistance to 
 
ABU DHABI 00004474  003 OF 003 
 
 
Lebanon since July 2006 totaled 15.25 million USD. (14.97 million 
USD of this money was raised in the fundraising campaign and an 
additional .28 million USD was provided by the RCS for a total 
donation of 15.25 million USD.) The RCS has also sent 35 planes 
loaded with thousands of tons of basic relief supplies and a ship 
carrying 2500 tons of food. 
 
¶15. (U) In August 2006, the MRCF announced its plan for health, 
education, and reconstruction projects for Lebanon. MRCF's Deputy 
Chairman of Trustees, Ibrahim bu Melhah, told the press that his 
foundation had allocated 10.89 million USD for its humanitarian plan 
in Lebanon. 
 
¶16. (U) MRCF sent 721 tons of relief supplies to Lebanon during the 
crisis. It also pledged to build 1000 temporary houses in Lebanon 
for returning refugees and established 18 temporary camps to 
accommodate displaced people.  In addition, MRCF donated 2 million 
USD to 91 fishermen and 325 boat owners. 
 
¶17. (U) The MRCF also signed an agreement with the Syrian Red 
Crescent Society to serve daily meals to more than 5,000 displaced 
Lebanese located in Syria.  The agreement also allows the UAE Red 
Crescent to store 200 tons of relief materials in Syria and to set 
up 27 shelters and two health centers for Lebanese refugees living 
in Syria. 
 
¶18. (U) Both the RCS and the MRCF have delivered medicine and 
ambulances and pledged to build hospitals in Marjayoun, bint Jubeil 
and Arquop and create a mobile hospital project in southern Lebanon. 
The UAE Ministry of Health has also dispatched medical relief 
air-cargoes including electro-cardiographs, portable cardiac 
resuscitation equipment, 24,000 cans of infant formula and 6500 
units of basic foodstuffs. 
 
¶19. (U) The UAE "Emirates Initiative for Support and Reconstruction 
of Lebanon (EISRL)" offered to rebuild 216 schools damaged in the 
war. To date, 191 schools have already been completed. In September 
2006, the UAE President offered to pay for the textbooks and school 
supplies of 400,000 Lebanese students. 
 
QUINN