UAE Announces AED55 Million To Support 400,000 Students In Sudan

The UAE today confirmed the allocation of AED55 million (US$15 million) for school supplies to Sudan. Supporting 400,000 students in Sudanese schools, the monetary aid, provided by Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), the leading national entity for economic development aid, covers educational necessities, including classroom equipment.

ADFD, in cooperation with the Sudanese government, supervised the delivery of the first shipment of school supplies that covers the needs of 10,000 students. His Excellency Hamad Mohammed Humaid Al Junaibi, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Sudan, and His Excellency Lieutenant General Ahmed Abdoun Hammad, Wali (Governor) in Charge of Khartoum State, were present at the arrival of the first shipment in Sudan. All educational shipments are expected to arrive in Sudan by end-February 2020.

As announced in April 2019, the school supplies support package falls within the framework of the AED11 billion (US$3 billion) Saudi Arabia-UAE joint aid package aimed at supporting Sudan’s economic and financial stability.

Speaking on the occasion, His Excellency Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of ADFD, said: “The aid provided to Sudan stems from the guidance of the UAE leadership and its keenness to ensure the provision of educational, nutritional and medical requirements for the Sudanese people. The UAE’s commitment to supporting Sudan testifies to the brotherly ties that unite the two countries.”

He added: “At this stage, supporting the education sector in Sudan and enabling students to learn in modern classrooms equipped with essential school supplies, as well as providing food, medicine, and basic commodities for the Sudanese people are core priorities for the UAE and ADFD.”

As part of the package, Saudi Arabia and the UAE deposited a financial allocation of US$500 million into the Central Bank of Sudan (CBOS), evenly split between the two countries, to strengthen the Bank’s financial position. The UAE and Saudi Arabia have also dispatched 540,000 tonnes of wheat worth US$150 million to enhance food security in Sudan over a three-month period.

The remainder of the aid package has been allocated to meet the urgent needs of the Sudanese population for medicine, petroleum derivatives, and seasonal agricultural supplies, as well as to support sustainable economic development in the country.