VZCZCXYZ0015
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAD #0080 0192235
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 191401Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0162
INFO GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHC/USAID WASHDC 0004
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 000080 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP 
ALSO FOR STACY D. WILLIAMS AND MELISSA 
ROSSER ON HAITI TASKFORCE ONE 
USAID FOR MAURA O'NEILL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREL ECON PGOV PREF HA AE
SUBJECT: TFHA01: UAE'S HAITI AID EFFORTS 
 
REF: STATE 4854; STATE 4909; STATE 4807 
 
¶1. (SBU) On January 17, the Ambassador met with Shaykh Hamdan bin 
Zayed, Chairman of the UAE Red Crescent  Society, the primary UAE 
aid organization that provides humanitarian assistance abroad to 
discuss UAE support for Haiti.  Shaykh Hamdan (the half-brother of 
UAE President Shaykh Khalifa) said the UAE leadership was greatly 
concerned by the situation in Haiti, applauded US effort in Haiti. 
The Ambassador provided reftel updates on US efforts.  Hamdan said 
that the UAE would welcome coordination of UAE efforts with the 
USG, and would welcome any suggestions on areas to focus on in its 
own efforts. 
 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) The UAE has established a Higher Committee for Haiti, 
comprising the four major humanitarian/relief organizations in the 
UAE:  the Shaykh Zayed Foundation,  the Shaykh Khalifa Foundation, 
the Shaykh Mohammed bin Rashid Foundation and the UAE Red Crescent 
Society.  After initial shipment of 50 tons of relief supplies, the 
UAE has decided to mount a cross border relief operation from the 
Dominican Republic. (Comment:  Although Shaykh Hamdan did not say 
so, this decision may have been taken in part because of the 
difficulty of the UAE getting aircraft into Port-au-Prince airport. 
End Comment.)  The plan is for the UAE to provide funding for 
purchase of commodities in the DR that will then be shipped 
overland to Haiti.  Hamdan has met with the Foreign Minister of the 
Dominican Republic who happened to visit the UAE last week (Note: 
The UAE has within the past year established relations with the DR. 
End Note.) 
 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) Separately on January 17, Mohammed bin Rashid Foundation 
for Humanitarian and Charitable Works (MBRHCW) Director Saleh al 
Mazouei told Treasury Attach???? that MBRHCW wants to provide 
immediate aid (nfi) to Haiti and asked for assistance to quickly 
obtain visas to travel to the U.S. Post is following up to 
facilitate. 
 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) On January 19, Martin Barber, Senior Advisor for the UAE's 
Office of Foreign Aid Coordination (OFAC), said OFAC is tracking 
all UAE assistance for Haiti. He provided EconOff with the 
following summary of UAE efforts: 
 
 
 
- The Khalifa Foundation, which has already dispatched 50 tons of 
food, medical and other supplies, is sending a humanitarian team on 
Jan. 19 or 20 to the Dominican Republic to identify potential 
partners (e.g. WFP, UNICEF) for further assistance. 
 
 
 
- MBRHCW plans to provide 600-900,000 liters of water and other 
medical assistance. 
 
 
 
- A logistics team from Dubai Ports Authority plans to travel to 
the DR on Jan. 20 to identify port-related assistance needed. 
 
 
 
- OFAC is providing the UN/WFP logistics cluster and USAID/OFDA 
with updates on UAE efforts. 
 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) On January 19, the Ambassador discussed with Clara 
Martinez Thedy de Safa, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the 
UAE, UAE plans to route assistance through the DR and offered USG 
assistance as needed. 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) Post has shared reftel instructions on aid coordination 
efforts with UAEG authorities. 
OLSON