UAE aid to Syrian refugees is the highest

Dubai - In response to an article in The New York Times that accused the Gulf nations of "tepid response" to the migration crisis, UAE Ambassador to Washington, said the Syrian refugee challenge is a global tragedy, and it requires a global response.

Defending its response to the refugee crisis, the United Arab Emirates has said it had undertaken significant measures to help alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people.
In response to an article in The New York Times that accused the Gulf nations of "tepid response" to the migration crisis, Yousef Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to Washington, said the Syrian refugee challenge is a global tragedy, and it requires a global response. Along with countries in Europe and the Middle East, the UAE has also contributed immensely towards the cause, he said.
Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, the UAE has welcomed more than 100,000 Syrians, joining 140,000 already residing in the country. In 2011, the UAE was one of the first countries to respond to the growing humanitarian crisis and has provided more than $530 million in direct aid, mainly through the Syria Recovery Trust Fund, Otaiba said.
Since January, the UAE distributed an additional $44 million as part of a new aid commitment of $100 million, he added.
The UAE is funding the Mrajeeb Al Fhood refugee camp in Jordan, home to more than 4,000 Syrian refugees, and has contributed $72 million more to support refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey, Otaiba pointed out.
The UAE is taking action towards peace and stability in Syria, including through its support for the Global Coalition Against Daesh and its role as a co-leader for the Coalition Working Groups on Stabilisation and Strategic Communications, he said, adding that the UAE's per capita commitment to the Syrian crisis exceeds virtually every other country's participation.

• MENA