ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates has pledged Dhs367 million ($100 million) to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) for the next three years to improve education and learning outcomes of 870 million children and young people in 89 developing countries during the Global Partnership for Education Replenishment Conference held between Feb.1-2 in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, in presence of the presidents of France and Senegal.

Reem Bint Ibrahim Al Hashimy Minister of State for International Cooperation, praised the directives of the UAE's wise leadership and its swift response to support education programs in developing countries as well as providing an educational environment for children and young people. The UAE will take responsibility for ensuring education for children, especially for girls and supporting the UN 2030 Agenda’s 4th Sustainable Development Goal. The UAE also plays a key role in the excellent work of the Global Partnership for Education and the global leadership that it brings to the education sector.

Reem Al Hashimy said: "This pledge comes in a year where the UAE celebrates the "Year of Zayed," which reflects the fundamentals of wisdom, human development, sustainability and respect. The GPE position of prioritising the poorest, most vulnerable, and those residing in fragile and conflict-affected countries strikes a particular resonance with the fundamentals of UAE foreign assistance."

FIRST ARAB COUNTRY

By announcing this pledge, the UAE became the first Arab and regional nation to support the Global Partnership for Education, which is a spin-off of one of the World Bank's initiatives; thereby enabling the UAE to fully participate in the GPE’s governance structures.

Dubai Cares, part of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, which works towards providing access to education for children and young people in developing countries also participated in the conference where it announced its pledge to allocate Dhs3.67 million ($1 million) to the Gender Equality portfolio which is part of the GPE’s Innovation and Knowledge Exchange Initiative. Dubai Cares was the first foundation in GPE’s history to commit funds to GPE at the 2nd Replenishment Conference in 2014.

Julia Gillard, Board Chair of the Global Partnership for Education and former prime minister of Australia said: "I am delighted that the United Arab Emirates joined the Global Partnership for Education as its first Arab and Middle East donor. The generous contribution of $100 million will ensure that millions of marginalised children have a chance to go to school and learn."

The Global Partnership for Education is a multi-stakeholder partnership of developing and donor countries, multilateral agencies, civil society organisations, the private sector and private foundations supporting the education sector in developing countries.

WAM