The United States Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates has praised the UAE’s national response and global aid efforts amid the COVID-19 pandemic as the Gulf state continues to play a key role in virus aid delivery.
In a recent video, the ambassador said multiple times how impressed he was by the UAE’s leadership in response to the novel coronavirus.
“The UAE has been a leader in the world in how they are approaching this disease both inside the country and with the help they are giving to many, many countries around the world,” Rakolta said in the Abu Dhabi TV video.
Rakolta applauded the UAE’s high testing numbers and pledged to treat all residents, be they UAE citizens or migrants, equally. He also expressed thanks for the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ cooperation and responsiveness, adding, “Etihad and Emirates Airline have spared no cost whatsoever, no effort to help get Americans back to the United States of America.”
“The UAE and the leaders have really shown what leadership is all about, they have been incredibly charitable with their giving to other countries, including the United States which we thank them for immensely,” the US ambassador said.
On June 2, the UAE sent eight metric tons of medical supplies to the Chechen Republic in Russia to bolster its efforts against COVID-19. The Etihad plane landed in Grozny, the capital of the Chechen Republic, carrying supplies that will support 8,000 local health workers in fighting the novel virus.
“The UAE stands by Russia in its campaign to overcome the COVID-19 crisis through international cooperation and assistance. Today’s delivery of aid represents the strong ties between our two nations, which have exerted all efforts to prioritize the health and wellbeing of our communities at every turn,” UAE Ambassador to Russia Maadhad Hareb Jaber Alkhayel said in response to the delivery.
To date, the UAE has sent $10 million worth of in-kind aid to the World Health Organization, provided aid to 98 different countries in recent weeks, and contributed to 80% of the total COVID-19 aid distributed worldwide, according to the UAE government’s dedicated COVID-19 aid Twitter account, “UAE Cares.”