Dubai, United Arab Emirates – 16 April, 2019:   Dubai Cares, part of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, joined government officials, representatives from private sector, UN aid agencies, civil society and philanthropic organizations, international philanthropists and academia for a series of high-level meetings during the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund’s Spring Meetings in Washington D.C. The gathering, which runs from 8 to 14 April 2019, highlights and debates issues of global concern, including the world economic outlook, poverty eradication, economic development, and aid effectiveness. 

 

 

Dubai Cares has pledged AED 7,347,000 (USD 2 million) at Education Cannot Wait’s High Level Steering Group Meeting towards restoring schooling in areas affected by the catastrophic Cyclone Idai and the flooding that has recently hit Mozambique. The funds will be directed towards Education Cannot Wait, a global fund for education in emergencies, as an emergency first response to reestablish education for those affected by the crisis. 

 

On March 14, 2019, Cyclone Idai made landfall in the southern African countries of Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. In Mozambique, the impact was devastating, as more than 600 people have lost their lives, more than 239,000 homes have been damaged and destroyed and over 3,000 cholera cases have been recorded. According to initial estimates, the disaster has affected 1.8 million people and destroyed over 3,300 classrooms, leaving 263,000 children out-of-school.

 

Commenting on the emergency intervention, Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer at Dubai Cares said: “The loss of life, destruction and suffering that has resulted from this natural disaster is heartbreaking. Children, the most vulnerable victims of any disaster, are at the moment facing tremendous distress and uncertainty. Through this intervention, we hope to re-establish access to education and will be working with Education Cannot Wait to minimize the disruption to children’s education caused by the damage of schools. We look forward to providing temporary learning spaces and psychosocial support materials & training to affected learners and teachers.”

 

 

Dubai Cares participated in Generation Unlimited Second Global Board Meeting, which shed light on the strategy and progress updates on activities since the

inaugural September 2018 Board Meeting. Generation Unlimited, which forms part of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Youth 2030 Strategy, complements and builds on existing programs that support adolescents and young people. The partnership platform focuses on three key areas: secondary-age education; skills for learning, employability and decent work; and empowerment. Dubai Cares, represented by its CEO Tariq Al Gurg, is a member of the Global Board which is tasked with providing expertise, strategic direction, resources and leadership, and overseeing the partnership.

 

Al Gurg said: “Attending the Generation Unlimited Second Global Board Meeting has allowed me to witness the impressive progress achieved since its inauguration in 2018. I look forward to Dubai Cares contributing its expertise and resources to enable Generation Unlimited to make progress in youth’s education, training, employment, and entrepreneurship globally.”

 

 

Dubai Cares also attended other high-level meetings including a gathering organized by the Global Business Coalition for Education, which discussed the advantages of investing in the next generation; a meeting jointly organized by the Global Business Coalition for Education and Their World, which saw the launch of the new donor scorecard on early learning and pre-primary education; as well as a breakfast meeting by The International Finance Facility for Education, which is chaired by Gordon Brown, UN Special Envoy for Global Education and supported by the United Nations, the World Bank, and the Regional Development Banks.