UAE continues to operate relief air bridge to Greece

The UAE, through its humanitarian arm the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), this morning dispatched for the Greek capital, Athens, the second aircraft loaded with food, medical supplies, children’s food supplements and firefighting materials, such as firefighting clothing, pumps, water hoses and relevant accessories.

The UAE also assisted the efforts aimed at suppressing the fires, by deploying a helicopter to contain the wildfires on the borders of Athens.

The aid follows the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and in implementation of the orders of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and with the follow-up of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the ERC.

Dr. Mohammed Ateeq Al Falahi, ERC Secretary-General, stressed that the UAE has strengthened its efforts to extinguish the fires in Greece, based on its humanitarian and moral responsibility towards countries and peoples experiencing crises and disasters.

Al Falahi said that the unprecedented wildfires that Greece is currently witnessing due to climatic changes and rising global temperatures require our support to overcome these difficult times.

He stressed that the UAE was one of the first countries to declare its solidarity with the friendly Greek people, and its leadership was proactive in providing support and assistance and harnessing capabilities, especially logistical ones, to enhance the efforts currently being made to put out and besiege fires and limit their spread.

Regarding the relief operations and humanitarian programmes, Al Falahi said that the Emirates Red Crescent has prepared a relief programme that meets the needs of the Greek arena in terms of necessary materials and supplies.