The Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women and AD Ports Group have signed a cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening the humanitarian partnership between the two sides and supporting their community and humanitarian initiatives, in line with the targets of the Year of the Family and the United Arab Emirates' vision of advancing humanitarian action and empowering the most vulnerable groups, particularly refugee women.
The agreement, whose signing coincided with World Refugee Day, crowns the existing cooperation between the two parties in the field of supporting and assisting refugee women. It is built on coordinating joint efforts to develop humanitarian and community initiatives that contribute to improving the living conditions of refugee women and enhancing their empowerment opportunities, in support of the UAE government's direction to entrench the values of human solidarity and social responsibility.
The agreement also aims to support corporate social responsibility programmes by raising awareness of refugee women's issues and implementing joint campaigns and initiatives, as well as participating in events and activities organised by both parties, thereby amplifying the impact of their humanitarian efforts and serving their shared objectives.
The agreement was signed on behalf of the Fund by Ahmed Sari Al Mazrouei, Secretary-General of the Emirates Red Crescent Authority, and on behalf of AD Ports Group by Captain Mohammed Juma Al Shamsi, Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer.
Under the agreement, AD Ports Group will provide logistical support to the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women, including maritime facilities and the transportation of relief materials for the Fund's projects around the world, as well as supply chain support to enhance operational efficiency and help accelerate the delivery of humanitarian aid to those who need it.
The agreement also includes the provision of technical and knowledge support for implementing joint training programmes and community initiatives, in addition to contributing to exploring suitable employment opportunities for refugee women.
Her Excellency Dr Maitha Salem Al Shamsi, Minister of State and Chairwoman of the Supreme Committee of the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women, affirmed that the agreement comes pursuant to the directives of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, "Mother of the UAE", Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, Chairwoman of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation and Honorary President of the Emirates Red Crescent Authority, who is keen to strengthen the Fund's role and achieve its objectives of empowering refugee women and improving their livelihoods within refugee communities that are in great need of basic requirements, as well as broadening the Fund's network of partners locally, regionally and internationally in order to build a public opinion that cares about refugee women's issues and their right to live with dignity.
She said that the humanitarian role carried out by Her Highness through the Fund falls within the humanitarian principles adopted by the United Arab Emirates and its wise leadership in the area of advocating for refugees and achieving the desired impact with regard to enhancing their protection and welfare.
For his part, Ahmed Sari Al Mazrouei affirmed that the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women represents one of the UAE's pioneering initiatives in supporting refugees around the world, thanks to the generous patronage and sound directives of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, "Mother of the UAE", who has devoted great humanitarian attention to the issues of refugees, particularly women and children, and made their empowerment and improved conditions a sustained priority.
He said that AD Ports Group has been and continues to be a model of effective partnership in supporting humanitarian action and fulfilling its social responsibility, noting that this agreement establishes a new phase of strategic cooperation between the two sides and opens broader horizons for deploying logistical capabilities and institutional expertise in service of humanitarian causes.
Captain Mohammed Juma Al Shamsi, for his part, affirmed that the agreement represents a qualitative addition to AD Ports Group's strategic partnership framework, through which it is keen to support the UAE's humanitarian efforts at the global level. He noted that cooperation with the Fund embodies the Group's commitment to supporting humanitarian initiatives aimed at empowering refugee women and enhancing their ability to face the challenges of displacement.