Hamdan bin Zayed stresses UAE humanitarian attitudes towards refugees worldwide

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Representative of Ruler in Western Region, Chairman of the Red Crescent Authority (RCA), has emphasised the UAE humanitarian attitudes towards the refugees worldwide.

He said in a statement on the World Refugee Day, which corresponds with Saturday, June 20, that "the UAE will always extend its hands to assist the refugees to ease their sufferings", adding that the UAE would play a pivotal role to sponsor the refugees in line with the instructions of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

Sheikh Hamdan noted that the initiatives of Sheikh Khalifa backs voluntary return of refugees home and provision of what it takes to stabilise them in their original homes. He reiterated that the leadership was concern about the refugees' sufferings, adding that such a dire condition requires orchestrated international efforts and boosting of partnership among the humanitarian organisations to improve the refugees' conditions.

He cited the role shouldered by the RCA in sponsorship and protection of the refugees to ease burden on them.

Sheikh Hamdan highlighted the role of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in assisting over 23 million refugees worldwide, appreciating the existing partnership between the RCA and UNHCR to ease suffering of refugees in a number of regions across the globe. "We are looking forward to a day when the refuge phenomenon disappears for ever as people will enjoy good living conditions".

On 4 December 2000, the United Nations General Assembly in Resolution 55/76 decided that, from 2001, 20 June would be celebrated as World Refugee Day. In this resolution, the General Assembly noted that 2001 marked the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. – Emirates News Agency, WAM