US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI1716

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 001716 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR IRAQ TASK FORCE, ALSO NEA/ARP, PRM/ANE, AND IO/UNP 
KUWAIT FOR THE HOC 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL 04/09/2008 
TAGS: EAID, PREL, PGOV, PHUM, KPAL, KWBG, TC 
SUBJECT:  TFIZ01: UAE RESPONDS TO APPEAL FOR HUMANITARIAN AID 
                  TO IRAQ 
 
REFS: A) STATE 89192 
      B) ABU DHABI 1439 
      C) ABU DHABI 1667 
 
1.  (U) Classified by DCM Richard A. Albright, for reasons 
1.5 (B) and (D). 
 
2.  (C) Summary and comment: Post has engaged UAE officials 
at all levels of government regarding humanitarian assistance 
since the onset of war in Iraq began. In line with the UAEG's 
preference to provide assistance-in-kind rather than cash 
donations, the UAEG is facilitating the shipment of 
humanitarian supplies to Iraq. The UAE Red Crescent Authority 
(headquartered in Abu Dhabi) and the Mohammed Bin Rashid 
Al-Maktoum Charity and Foundation in Dubai are coordinating 
the outpouring of donations from the Emirati public.  We will 
continue to report the activities of these charities and the 
UAEG as they support the humanitarian effort in Iraq.  End 
summary and comment. 
 
3.  (C) Per refs B and C, UAE Minister of State for Foreign 
Affairs has noted to the Ambassador on several occasions that 
the UAE RCA had purchased about $3 million USD in medical 
supplies and other necessities just prior to the war and 
delivered the goods to Iraqi hospitals.  Most recently, the 
office of UAE Armed Forces Chief of Staff Shaykh Mohammed bin 
Zayid Al-Nahyan on 4/6 requested Post's assistance to 
coordinate the delivery of 700 tons of foodstuffs, and nine 
vehicles (including four water tankers and an ambulance) 
with the Humanitarian Operations Center and the ICRC 
representative in Kuwait.  UAE First Lady Shaykha Fatima this 
week donated an approximate $2 million USD to the UAE RCA for 
the Iraqi people. 
 
4.  (U) In Dubai, the Shaykh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum 
Charity and Humanitarian Foundation (whose patron is the UAE 
Defense Minister and Dubai Crown Prince) continues to collect 
cash donations and humanitarian supplies on behalf of the 16 
charities in the UAE that it represents, and has expressed 
an interest in sending these supplies to Iraq soon. 
 
5.  (C) In addition, the UAE Foreign Ministry signed in late 
March an agreement with the United Nations World Food Program 
(WFP) formalizing WFP's regional office in Dubai.  The WFP 
office has been operating in Dubai for some time, however, 
and recent press reports indicate that the WFP facility in 
Dubai will be a major transshipment point for humanitarian aid 
destined to Iraq. 
 
Wahba