The Emirates Red Crescent, ERC, has launched its winter aid programme, which will benefit roughly one million people in 25 countries, including five that are hosting Syrian refugees.
The move follows the directives of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region and the ERC Chairman.
The AED40 million aid, announced by ERC during a video conference, will include medical and food supplies, heating equipment and materials, and winter clothes and blankets.
Dr. Mohammed Ateeq Al Falahi, Secretary-General of the ERC, stated that the winter aid programme aims to provide for the needs of people affected by cold weather, adding that this year additional aid will be provided, in the face of the health concerns around the world due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"ERC is keen to offer beneficiaries comfortable conditions and prevent them from contracting flu and other winter-related illnesses," he added, stressing the ERC’s commitment to providing further humanitarian aid to affected people and refugees, especially Syrian refugees.
Fahad Abdulrahman bin Sultan, ERC Deputy Secretary-General for Development and International Cooperation, stated that the ERC’s plan this year involves enlarging the scope of beneficiaries of its winter aid programme to include 25 countries around the world, compared to only five last year.
The programme will be carried out through several phases, in coordination with the ERC’s humanitarian partners and UAE embassies in beneficiary countries, he added, noting that these countries include Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, Greece, Syria, Albania, Kazakhstan, Bosnia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Dagestan, Georgia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Lithuania, Ukraine, Estonia, Turkmenistan, Latvia and Moldova.