Dubai, UAE, 16 June 2015

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charity and Humanitarian Establishment and the UAE Water Aid foundation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to effectively enhance their strategic partnership. The MoU promotes their relationship, continuously develops it, establishes joint projects, and exchanges knowledge and skills. This ensures integration of strategic partnerships among all organisations in the UAE, and especially in Dubai.

The MOU was signed by HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the UAE Water Aid Foundation, and HE Ibrahim Bu Melha, Dubai Ruler's Advisor for Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs and Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charity and Humanitarian Establishment.

The MoU signing was attended by Saleh Al Mazroui, General Manager of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charity and Humanitarian Establishment, Waleed Salman, Member of the Board of Trustees of the UAE Water Aid Foundation, and Mohammed Al Shamsi, Acting Executive Director of the Foundation.

The 5-year MoU enhances cooperation between the two sides in helping developing and needy countries, and facilitating collaboration to implement joint humanitarian initiatives and projects that serve the strategies and objectives of both organisations. This enhances their social roles within an established framework and set methodologies. The MoU also helps both organisations to effectively utilise their potential and existing resources to address water scarcity and pollution issues.

Al Tayer commended the efforts of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charity and Humanitarian Establishment, whose humanitarian services extend beyond Dubai and the UAE. It provides its services to all the needy. These include building mosques outside the UAE, financing philanthropic projects in education and health, providing financial aid to needy Emiratis and expatriate families, education, food, building and maintain houses for Emiratis, providing help to people with special needs, and sponsoring orphans.

Al Tayer noted that the UAE Aid Foundation has contacted the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charity and Humanitarian Establishment, as an established philanthropic organisation, to learn about its projects in providing drinking water and digging wells.

He noted that the UAE Water Aid Foundation works to provide potable water to the needy, the disadvantaged, and those who are in distress around the world. It provides them with the basics of a decent life and contributes to finding permanent and sustainable solutions to water scarcity around the world. This is done using the latest technologies, desalinating water using solar power, and providing new and innovative technological solutions for communities that suffer from scarcity and pollution of drinking water.

Al Tayer clarified that the MoU supports DEWA's efforts to enhance partnerships with charitable organisations in the UAE and the Foundation's efforts to cooperate and exchange expertise with relevant organisations inside and outside the UAE. This serves humanity, achieves common objectives, and benefits from the available capabilities of all sides to join hands to provide support and help.

Bu Melha commended HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai for establishing the UAE Water Aid Foundation to provide clean potable water to millions around the world. It will have positive effects in the areas where drinking water projects will be implemented. Water is the main artery of life and necessary for all people as life cannot continue without it. Water is much more needed in poor countries that suffer from drought and water scarcity.

"His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Foundation and initiative based on his realisation of the importance of providing drinking water that humanity needs at this time when water has become scarce in many countries that suffer from drought. It will find many solutions to water scarcity and establish the foundations of security and stability in world countries that face the dangers of scarcity of water resources due to pollution, overuse, or conflict. This makes it imperative for everyone to take care of these resources, develop them, and use them sensibly," said Bu Melha.

"Providing clean, safe, and usable water is one the main challenges facing the world today. Signing this MoU to partner with the UAE Water Aid Foundation implements a number of joint projects to dig wells and build related facilities in selected countries to provide healthy and safe water to achieve the humanitarian and charitable objectives that both organisations share, and spread security and peace among all peoples," added Bu Melha.

Bu Melha noted that providing water is one of the main programmes that the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charity and Humanitarian Establishment has paid great attention to. It was given priority in the foreign aid it provided to over 63 friendly and neighbouring countries to the UAE. This supports the UAE Foreign Aid objectives to achieve the sustainable development of the countries that face infrastructure problems. Different projects include digging shallow and artesian wells, building irrigation canals and wells, construction of water plants, and maintenance and retrofitting of many wells, and water stations for human, animal and agricultural uses.

-Ends-

For more information, please contact:
Ribal Dayekh or Noora Khoory     
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority 
+971 4 307 2006 or 515 1784 
ribal.dayekh@dewa.gov.ae 
noora.khoory@dewa.gov.ae 
           
Mutasem Shadid or Mazen Alebrahem
ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller
+9714 450 7675 or 450 7613
mutasem.shadid@bm.com
Mazen.Alebrahem@bm.com

© Press Release 2015