Dubai: 23 February, 2008 - His Highness Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, today received a delegation of officials of the Djibouti Government and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) representatives.
The meeting focused on initiating follow-up action on the memorandum of understanding signed between Dubai Cares and UNICEF for implementing primary education projects in developing regions, with Djibouti as its first initiative.
Djibouti Government officials, led by His Excellency Abdi Ibrahim Absieh, Djibouti Minister of Education, expressed their deep appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for his commitment to helping educate one million children in developing nations. They also thanked His Highness Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed for his personal involvement in following up on the implementation of the education projects in Djibouti.
The Dubai Cares charity campaign was launched on 19 September, 2007 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. During the Dubai Cares campaign, His Highness' sons and daughters toured a number of developing countries, including Djibouti, visiting schools and meeting with government officials, to personally understand the children's struggle in obtaining basic education.
Omar Shehadeh, Advisor-External Affairs, Dubai Cares, said: "In just a few months following our fundraising campaign, Dubai Cares is already breaking ground in developing countries as part of its commitment and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed's promise to bring hope to one million children around the world.
He added: "The Djibouti-UNICEF delegation's meeting with His Highness Sheikh Maktoum demonstrates the partnership is beginning to take shape for helping children and their communities in developing nations from the debilitating effects of poverty. The meeting also illustrates His Highness Sheikh Mohammed's mission to improve the welfare of the needy and his children's commitment to the Dubai Cares campaign objectives."
Through its partnership with UNICEF and other humanitarian bodies, Dubai Cares seeks to help build and finance a variety of projects related to the value chain of primary education in developing countries. The initiative will ensure the construction of new school facilities; renovation/rehabilitation of existing abandoned and/or damaged school premises; distribution of school supply materials; improvement of nutritional intake, periodic medical check-up for students and teachers, and training and workshops to adequately empower teachers.
Since its inception in 1946, UNICEF has pursued an aggressive agenda to further its mission of advocating the protection of children's rights, help meet their basic needs and providing wide opportunities to ensure the realization of their full potential as mandated by the United Nations General Assembly.
Dubai Cares is Dubai's contribution to the U.N. Millennium Development Goals of providing primary education to every child by 2015. The initiative validates the emirate's commitment to play an effective role in securing a better tomorrow for future generations.
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© Press Release 2008
