Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of International Cooperation and Development, has announced that the U.A.E.'s share of donations to fight poverty worldwide has reached AED8.9 billion over the last three years.
In a statement on the occasion of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Sheikha Lubna said, "The humanitarian vision of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, as well as the relentless follow-up 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, is reflected in the U.A.E.'s praiseworthy manner of addressing the international poverty issue by directing its efforts and effective contributions to alleviate the suffering of people in underprivileged societies." She added that the U.A.E. has become a role model in this respect due to its commitment to achieving the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals, which prioritise poverty eradication.
Sheikha Lubna also said, "Tomorrow, October 17th, we will participate in the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, an issue that has become a grim reality that haunts the international community's conscience." She added that the prevalence of severe poverty in a number of countries and regions across the world is the result of several factors, some of which were deeply rooted in those societies due to a poor international response and the absence of a comprehensive vision in addressing the issue.
At the end of her statement, Sheikha Lubna remarked, "We, as countries, international humanitarian institutions, and civil community organisations, have to rally our efforts to eradicate the issue."