The Emirates plays a major role in humanitarian aid to combat the coronavirus

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is playing a major role in international cooperation to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, a plague that is killing hundreds of thousands and infecting millions worldwide. The Middle Eastern country is redoubling its efforts to support other nations in mitigating the effects of the dreaded coronavirus, and its collaboration is now reaching 47 countries. 

This support is highly significant according to the figures in the latest report from the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The aid provided to date to these 47 countries consists of 523 tonnes of medical supplies and food, as well as 523,000 health personnel.  

Collaboration has even extended to world powers such as the United States. The Emirate Government and Etihad Airways worked in the Emirate to repatriate 25 American citizens who were unable to travel due to the coronavirus outbreak. In addition, the Emirates' Ambassador to the United States, Yousef al-Otaiba, met with the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, to convey a message of support and solidarity from Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the Emirates' Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, himself, in this difficult situation. 

The UAE Embassy in Washington also became a donor to the Children's National Hospital, which provided COVID-19 screening tests for young patients. Meanwhile, the Gulf nation also provided charitable support to Spanish chef Jose Andres within the World's Central Kitchen project, which is distributing 50,000 fresh, packaged meals to needy communities; and the Arab nation's Embassy also supports Feed the Fight, an organization that is distributing meals to health workers, and Good Food Markets, which is providing groceries to needy residents in Washington.  

Another remarkable joint work is being carried out in the United Kingdom. The United Arab Emirates converted the ExCeL exhibition centre in London, owned by the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC), into a temporary hospital centre attached to the National Health Service (NHS), thus supporting the British Government in combating the coronavirus outbreak.

ADNEC served this exhibition facility free of charge, thus converting it into the temporary NHS Nightingale hospital; a facility equipped with 4,000 beds after conversion work that lasted only nine days, thanks also to the collaboration of the British Army with the health authorities. The United Arab Emirates is bearing the costs associated with the operation of this centre and is providing the centre free of charge.  

In addition, the UAE facilitated the repatriation of 345 British tourists who were visiting the Emirate on 5 April. In response, the British Ambassador to the Emirates, Patrick Moody, expressed his appreciation: “I also wanted to give a huge thank you to Emirates, to the Emirati authorities who have helped make this happen".

China is also another major player in international politics with which the Emirates has established cooperative ties to tackle the coronavirus. After the initial outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, the United Arab Emirates provided China with medical supplies, including masks and gloves. 

Meanwhile, on January 26, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE armed forces, posted details of this joint effort on Twitter: "We're closely following the Chinese government's efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus. We're confident in their ability to overcome this crisis. The UAE is ready to provide all support to China and cooperate with the international community to tackle this virus.”  

In addition, on March 4, as part of the Emirates' humanitarian initiative, the Arab country brought 215 people of different nationalities from China's Hubei province, the epicentre of the pandemic, to Abu Dhabi, where they were evaluated and received medical care.  

The UAE has also supported Iran, one of the most affected countries by COVID-19 in the Middle East. In collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), the UAE sent tons of medical supplies and five WHO experts to Tehran to assist 48,000 health care workers on March 3 and March 17. 

This assistance extends to many other nations, including supranational entities such as the African Union, which distributed tons of health supplies coordinated by the WHO and the Emirates, equipment that was distributed to 30 African nations.