UAE to launch new digital response platform to aid disaster-affected countries

NEW YORK, 15th September, 2023 (WAM) -- The United Arab Emirates today announced that it will launch a new digital response platform that will support disaster-affected countries to quickly and efficiently communicate their humanitarian needs to the international community.

The UAE made the announcement during a United Nations Security Council open debate titled “Maintenance of international peace and security: Advancing public-private humanitarian partnership”.

The platform will enable disaster-affected countries to communicate what aid is needed and where, allowing partners to better target and accelerate aid delivery. It will utilise the latest technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, and geospatial tools, and will be securely hosted to ensure data integrity.

“We are facing a humanitarian system in crisis. And the architecture of the past can no longer keep pace with the crises of the present,” said Ambassador Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, UAE's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. “The UAE has been developing a digital platform to support governments’ ability to better harness international support in the wake of natural disasters. We look forward to working on this with governments, the private sector, and humanitarian organisations in the coming months to launch a new tool to turbocharge our crisis response capabilities.”

The UN Security Council meeting was chaired by Igli Hasani, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania. Albania is serving as the Council’s president for the month of September.

The UAE is a major global humanitarian donor. Located in Dubai, the International Humanitarian City is the world’s largest humanitarian logistics hub, home to 62 humanitarian organisations, including major UN agencies, and 17 private sector companies.

The UAE’s world-class aviation and logistics industries - including Etihad, Emirates, and DP World - are critical to international humanitarian efforts and work closely with the UN and other partners to ensure aid reaches those in need. Over the past 5 years, the UAE private sector has contributed over US$ 250 million to humanitarian efforts globally.