Statement by H.E. Reem Pbrahim AI Hashimi Minister of State of the United Arab Emirates At the High Level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on Follow- up to the outcome of the Millennium Summit
New Yorlc, 20 September 2010

Thank you Mr. President Allow me at the outset to congratulate you and your countly Switzerland, on behalf of the United Arab Emirates delegation for your election as president of the General Assembly at its 65'" session. We have confidence in your expertise and capability to lead our work successfully.

Mr. President, The UAE has supported the Millennium Declaration as it is our firm conviction that the implementation of the MDG is a main factor in the maintenance of peace and security in the world and the way to the realization of prosperity and stability to the people of all countries. Today, we renew our support of the Declaration and affirm our intention to continue working towards achieving the MDG by the year 20 15 as we pledged. The recent international economic, financial and security conditions prevailing during the last few years have demonstrated how interlinlted the interests and concerns of countries of the world are. The economic crises aftermath proved that no country is safe fiom its impact regardless to the distances or the economic differences.

The United Arab Emirates strongly believes that success in achieving the MDGS requires an effective global partnership within the frame work of the recommendations of the Millennium Declaration and other conferences on development, especially the Monterey Consensus and the Doha Declaration on Financing for Development. And while we recognize that the global economic and financial crisis lead to the recessioli of the national incomes of developed donor countries, we urge those countries not to withdraw their commitments and keep working towards achieving the 0.7% of their gross national income as official development assistance for the developing countries; take effective steps towards alleviating or canceling their debts, and provide them with the new technology to help them build enabling environment for sustainable development. In this context we emphasize the importance of reforming the international economic, financial and trade systems so as to allow the developing countries the opportunity to participate in the international marlcet in a just and equitable manner. In the same time, we urge the developing countries to adopt economic policies that encourage production and help attract foreign investment. Mr. President, The United Arab Emirates succeeded in containing the aftermath of the economic crises so as not to impact our achievements in the development process and fall back in our commitments and foreign aid contributions for development. Our successes in achieving the Millennium Development Goals on the national level, allowed us to enhance our contributions in the global partnership to assist developing countries achieve the development goals as soon as possible. We have exploited the revenue of oil to expand and diversifj sources of national income and focus on the human development. We were able in a short period of time to achieve total eradication of poverty, raise the average income per capita to the highest levels in the world, and achieve gender equality and women empowerment. In the same time we ensured the sustainability of the environment, mitigation

the effects of climate change and reduced emissions. In this regard, the Masdar Initiative for renewable energy, launched in Abu Dhabi in 2007 is considered the first of its lcind in the region and a big step towards investing in renewable energy and reducing the levels of carbon dioxide to the lowest possible level.
Mr. President, The United Arab Emirates believes in the high value of human life and in the importance of protecting and developing it and providing a dignified source of living for very human being wherever he is. Standing on these principles, the United Arab Emirates has adopted a foreign policy that focuses on cooperation and bilateral and international partnerships to achieve development in other countries. The UAE is one of the major donors in the international partnership for development. A number of national institutions and funds participate in the foreign aid contributions, which forms a high percentage of the gross national income of our country. These contributions are provided as ODA for around 100 developing countries in various continents. 95% of that assistance is given as grants while the rest goes in the form of loans. About 80% of these contributions are directed to major development projects in those countries. For instance the Khalifa Bin Zayed AI Nahyan Foundation, founded in 2007 by H.H. Slieilch IChalifa Bin Zayed A1 Nahyan, President of the state, provides relief and development assistance to developing countries and effected countries by natural disasters and conflicts, as well as financing development projects in more than 45 countries in Asia, Afiica and Mohammed Europe. Dubai Care Initiative founded by H.H. Sheild~ Bill Rashed AI Maltoum, Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, worlcs to provide primary education for 4 million children in 14 developing countries to fight poverty and empower them, within the fiame work of the MDGs. And this year we launched Tlie United Arab Emirates Partnership in the Pacific Program which was launched in February 2010 with an initial capital of US $50 million, solely dedicated to the

provision of hnding for projects and initiatives focusing on the Pacific island nations in a wide-range of developmental fields, such as education, health and social services, infrastructure and projects in renewable energy. The UAE plays an effective role in strengthening the international assistance in cases of emergency, such as natural disasters and armed conflicts. In 2009 the UAE has donated around 3 billion dollars as humanitarian and development assistance, with special focus on countries most affected. I11 conclusion, tlie United Arab Emirates reaffirms its commitment to strengthen the international partnership to expedite the implementation of the MDGs, and we call for the intensification of the international efforts to deal with the underlying causes and challenges that hinder the achievement of the goals on time, and to find effective solutions for them. Thank you