DUBAI // The UAE has pledged more than US$7.1 million (Dh26.4m) to assist the United Nations development programmes and initiatives for the next year.
Of this, a whopping $5m will be given to the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women.
Ambassador Ahmed Al-Jarman, the Permanent Representative of the UAE to the UN, on Tuesday announced the country's budget at the UN Pledging Conference for Development Activities 2011, according to Wam, the state news agency.
Addressing the conference, he said the UAE was keen to strengthen "the work of these international agencies, funds and programmes".
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East is the second-highest beneficiary, receiving $1m.
Mr Al-Jarman said he hoped other states and international donors would increase their contributions "to these important funds and programmes in order to enable their governing bodies to meet the growing challenges resulting from the critical economic and financial crises facing our world".
Twenty member states pledged approximately $265m for the United Nations development activities for 2012.
Navid Hanif, the Acting Director of the Office of Economic and Social Council Support and Coordination in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, told donors the current economic situation "should not be an excuse to renege on aid commitments".
pkannan@thenational.ae
