Foreign Aid's Impact from the UAE's $100b: Over a Billion Lives Affected in 206 Nations
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been a significant player in the global humanitarian aid landscape, providing over 45% of all humanitarian aid delivered to Gaza since the beginning of the current conflict. This commitment is a testament to the UAE's dedication to helping those in need, particularly in times of crisis.
Since its establishment in 1971, the UAE has provided more than $100 billion in foreign aid, with more than 80% of this aid dedicated to development projects. This focus on long-term development initiatives is evident in the UAE's partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP), which has spanned 20 years. This partnership has enabled rapid delivery of food and aid to various regions, including Gaza.
In Gaza alone, since October 2023, more than 224 humanitarian workers have been killed. Despite this, the UAE remains steadfast in its efforts, ensuring life-saving assistance reaches those in need. The UAE's humanitarian efforts extend globally, with relief missions across Africa and Asia, and firefighting teams in Albania.
The UAE's humanitarian aid has benefited over one billion people across 206 countries worldwide. In 2025, nearly 60,000 metric tons of WFP aid were dispatched from the UAE, including 27 shipments to Gaza and additional consignments to Sudan and Asian nations.
Aid shipments facilitated through Dubai Humanitarian warehouses reached 81 countries in the first half of 2025, totaling 502 consignments valued at $49 million. The current stock of aid stored in Dubai Humanitarian's facilities amounts to $210 million, across more than 150,000 square meters of dedicated space. Dubai Humanitarian's ongoing efforts reaffirm its status as a global humanitarian hub.
The UN Resident Coordinator to the UAE, Bérangère Boëll, reiterated the UN's pride in working alongside the UAE and Dubai Humanitarian to support humanitarian action worldwide. Giuseppe Saba, CEO of Dubai Humanitarian, emphasized the need to protect the safety and wellbeing of humanitarian workers, a sentiment echoed by the UAE leadership, which encourages collective action to strengthen humanitarian efforts, especially amid today's growing crises and natural disasters.
Six Emirati nationals joined WFP's "Humanitarian Pioneers" initiative to strengthen the program's regional and global impact. The UAE's commitment to humanitarian aid was further highlighted at a commemorative event for World Humanitarian Day, hosted by Dubai Humanitarian in partnership with UN organizations. The event gathered more than 100 humanitarian leaders and featured personal testimonies of aid workers.
However, the work is far from over. 2023 was the deadliest year on record for humanitarian workers, with 280 fatalities. Preliminary figures for 2024 indicate worsening trends. It is crucial that efforts to protect and support these workers continue, ensuring they can continue their vital work in providing aid to those most in need.
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