UAE pledges Dh55 million of aid for school pupils in Sudan

The cash boost is part of a Dh11 billion support package being delivered by the UAE and Saudi Arabia

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed welcomes Lt Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, chairman of Sudan's Sovereign Council, to Al Shati Palace in Abu Dhabi in October. Courtesy: Ministry of Presidential Affairs  

The UAE pledged Dh55 million in financial aid to help hundreds of thousands of pupils across Sudan look forward to a brighter future.

The vital cash boost from the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development will be used to purchase essential school supplies for young learners in the African nation.

The fund supervised the delivery of the first batch of education equipment to support 10,000 pupils.

Hamad Mohammed Humaid Al Junaibi, UAE ambassador to the Republic of Sudan, was on hand alongside Lt Gen Ahmed Abdoun Hammad, governor of Khartoum State, to witness the arrival of the shipment.

All education supplies being donated are due to be handed over to Sudanese officials by February next year.

They will ensure classrooms serving a total of 400,000 pupils are equipped.

The support is part of a wider, Dh11 billion Saudi Arabia-UAE aid package announced in April.

Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, director-general of ADFD, said the country was committed to offering crucial assistance to Sudan.

"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," he said.

"The UAE’s commitment to supporting Sudan testifies to the brotherly ties that unite the two countries.

"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 ongoing effort, Saudi Arabia and the UAE deposited a financial allocation of $500m (Dh1.83bn) into the Central Bank of Sudan, evenly split between the two countries.

The two Gulf countries also sent 540,000 tonnes of wheat worth $150m to bolster 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 accelerate sustainable economic development in the country.

The UAE has cemented its strong links with Sudan in recent months.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, held talks in October with Sudan’s two most senior leaders during the second stop of their Gulf tour.