The United Arab Emirates and the UN Refugees Agency have signed a US$4 million agreement to provide emergency relief to South Sudanese refugees in Uganda.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, MoFAIC, indicated that the signing of the agreement marks the culmination of the pledge made by the UAE during the "Uganda Solidarity Summit on Refugees" held in the Ugandan capital Kampala, worth US$5 million, which included US$4 million to support refugees from South Sudan in Uganda through UNHCR.

The agreement was signed by Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for International Development Sultan Mohammed Al Shamsi and Head of UNHCR office in UAE Toby Harward.

The agreement aims to support the implementation of several emergency response projects for South Sudanese refugees in northern Uganda, such as providing shelter materials, support for a water supply project, as well as support an education project, and a vocational training needs assessment.

Al Shamsi said that the UAE's support for projects benefiting refugees from South Sudan in northern Uganda contributes to alleviating the suffering of those refugees who have fled their country as a result of the conflict. It also supports the efforts of the Ugandan government and international organisations, particularly UNHCR, to provide the humanitarian needs for these refugees.

The agreement comes in line with the initiatives of "Year of Giving 2017", as well as with the foreign aid policy of the UAE to support friendly countries facing humanitarian crises.

Al Shamsi expressed his sincere pleasure to co-operate and partner with UNHCR to implement projects and programmes that ease the suffering of refugees wherever they are.

"This donation is very important to UNHCR," said Toby Harward, Head of UNHCR's office in UAE, "not only because it benefits the South Sudanese refugees and the Ugandan host community, but also supports a sustainable development approach in humanitarian relief. It also gives an example in terms of cooperation between major donors. Thanks to this donation from the United Arab Emirates, more vulnerable people will receive shelter, sustainable water supply and education. In addition, studies will be conducted to improve refugees’ access to education and livelihoods. In this way, the UAE is playing a pivotal and leading role in the future of humanitarian response."

The UAE's contribution of US$4 million to support refugees from South Sudan in Uganda is expected to benefit some 600,000 people, including at least 180,000 from the host community. The UAE, in coordination with the UNHCR and the Ugandan government, sent a team to assess the projects and look into the humanitarian needs of these refugees, who are in need of the joint international efforts to relieve their humanitarian suffering and end the conflict in their country.