Delegation in Sudan to reaffirm 'Dubai Cares' initiative

The meetings with Sudanese officials became imperative as some of the children in Chad are Sudanese nationals.

The Sudanese Minister's statement was made late on Wednesday during a meeting with a 'Dubai Cares' delegation, led by Essa Al Basha Al Nouaimi, UAE Ambassador to Chad and Sudan. The delegation is on a mission as directed by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to address the sensitive issue of the 103 children in Chad.

The 'Dubai Cares' delegation's visit to Sudan follows its two-day trip to Chad where it delivered much needed humanitarian aid to the 103 children, currently under the care of an orphanage in Abeche. The aid is the first step in a comprehensive strategy that includes efforts to reunite the children with their families and the implementation of long-term, community-based education programmes. The strategy is in line with the 'Dubai Cares' commitment to educate one million children in poor countries around the world.

Following the meeting with Ali Ahmed, the delegation met with Minni Arkou Minawi, Senior Assistant to the President and President of Transitional Darfur Regional Authority, who welcomed the Dubai initiative, calling it a 'timely' campaign that will not only help those children but will contribute to developing a 'sustainable solution for peace and the well-being of children living in Darfur.'

According to Omar Shehadeh, a Dubai Cares official, the children's traumatic experience reinforces the delegation's stand that education is the best solution to secure their reintegration into society, an approach that requires urgent attention.

Shehadeh said: 'Given the traumatic experience the children have had to endure, 'Dubai Cares' has reinforced its position that education is the most appropriate long-term solution. Our approach includes both immediate and long-term considerations. On the one hand, education programmes will help alleviate the potential psychological issues these children may develop as a result of their experience and, on the other, the countries involved will be able to create skilled professionals and develop their resources further.'

Launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed, 'Dubai Cares' is the latest in a line of international initiatives that express Dubai's willingness to play an effective role in securing a better tomorrow for future generations. The campaign is Dubai's contribution to a global drive to help countries achieve their U.N. Millennium Development Goals of providing primary education to every child by 2015. It is founded on the belief that education is the best long-term solution to poverty and the best engine for national development.