The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, MoFAIC, and the US Agency for International Development, USAID, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on reinforcing bilateral relations in the humanitarian and development fields.

The MoU was signed by Sultan Al Shamsi, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for International Development Affairs, and John Rakolta, US Ambassador to the UAE, as part of the cooperation between the two countries in providing development aid and supporting international development.

Al Shamsi stressed that the MoU was signed in the framework of the close bilateral ties between the UAE and the US and is in line with their joint humanitarian and development cooperation to strengthen their partnership, support sustainable development programmes and humanitarian relief and restoration projects, and build the capacities of beneficiary countries.

The MoU also aims to establish a framework for dialogue and promote international development cooperation in other countries, especially in the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The UAE and the US plan to exchange knowledge, expertise, and information to draft economic, social, humanitarian and development aid projects, as well as to reinforce the organisational, social and economic capacities of governments, civil societies, and the private sectors in target countries.

The MoU stipulates coordination between the two countries in several areas, such as humanitarian aid, development aid, energy, cultural heritage, tolerance, international religious rights, economic growth, private sector engagement, agriculture, food security, nutrition, and water.

The MoU also addresses several areas of cooperation to achieve the desired goals of both sides through the drafting of joint programmes with other regional donors in various countries, in addition to organising events and seminars and exchanging training visits, information, documents and other materials related to successful experiences in international cooperation.

Source: WAM