Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of Development and International Co-operation, President of Zayed University and Head of the U.A.E. Committee for the Coordination of Humanitarian Foreign Aid, has said that the U.A.E. is looking forward to enhancing humanitarian partnership with all countries and organisations worldwide.
She added that the international community's effective role should be strengthened through partnership mechanisms and unifying efforts to tackle international humanitarian issues.
Sheikha Lubna underlined the U.A.E.'s efforts to address humanitarian issues that pose a threat to millions of people, citing dangerous diseases such as polio.
Sheikha Lubna made the remarks, while meeting with Bill Gates, Co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and his accompanying delegation.
She also hailed the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan on launching a vaccination campaign to immunise 3.6 million Pakistani children, a move that demonstrates the U.A.E.'s effective role in protecting millions of lives, particularly children.
The minister affirmed the progress achieved by the U.A.E. through its contributions to the development and humanitarian domains in the poor regions globally, gives a motivation for further coordination and building partnerships with international organisations to combat the disease.
She also commended the pioneering role and significant efforts of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in the developing countries and poor societies worldwide through improvement of health and agricultural sectors.
The meeting also tackled mechanisms of bolstering partnership in the field of combating polio disease, as well as the concerted international efforts of both sides.
On his part, Bill Gates underscored the importance of the role, being played by the U.A.E. internationally, referring to the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and praising the initiative of His Highness General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the U.A.E. Armed Forces, on the U.A.E.'s pledge to provide Dh 440 million to support the international efforts to eradicate polio by 2018.
Sheikha Lubna emphasised that the U.A.E. will continue to support the international efforts in all humanitarian issues.