The United Arab Emirates, UAE, has expressed readiness to partner with the federal government in tackling humanitarian and poverty challenges in Nigeria.
Salem Al Shamsi, the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria made this known on Friday when he visited the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Dr Betta Edu in Abuja.
The envoy was accompanied by a delegation from Noor Dubai Foundation who were at the Ministry to seek for the partnership to participate in Nigeria’s humanitarian efforts.
He commended the long standing relationship between Nigeria and the emirates, promised to continue collaboration towards alleviating the plight of Nigerians.
“Nigeria remain a strong ally of the UAE and we would continue to partner with Nigeria in key areas like humanitarian aid, job creation, Nutrition, health care development and poverty alleviation” he said.
On her part, the Chief Executive Officer of Noor Dubai Foundation Manal Taryam, said they have been supporting humanitarian related issues in different areas of need.
”Especially, in eye treatment programme which commenced with Katsina State while lagos and Abuja will soon be launched.
She said the foundation had intervened in several areas are directly link to the core mandate of the humanitarian ministry.
Earlier, the minister expressed gratitude to the government and people of the UAE for their timely interventions in critical sectors of need in Nigeria.
Edu said, President Bola Tinubu’s administration is determined to eradicate poverty under its eight-point agenda.
NAN reports that in the last 25 years the exports of United Arab Emirates to Nigeria have increased at an annualized rate of 21.7 per cent from 10.1 million dollars in 1996 to 1.36 billion dollars in 2021.
In 2021, Nigeria exported 276 million dollars to the UAE.
NAN
