Business & Money | Wednesday 17 October, 2018 5:30 am |

In a bid to elevate the standard of living in developing countries and eradicate global poverty, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), the leading national entity for development aid, has highlighted its allocation of nearly AED11 billion towards development projects in the education as well as healthcare sectors. 

In its report marking International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, which is annually observed on 17 October, ADFD emphasised its mission to help developing countries achieve sustainable economic growth and reduce poverty.

ADFD provides concessionary financial resources in the form of loans that satisfy the concessional conditions in accordance with the requirements of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). ADFD also manages Abu Dhabi government grants.

In cooperation with international financial institutions, ADFD has worked to increase spending on key sectors such as health, food security, transport, housing, education, water, agriculture and energy in order to reach the goals outlined by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as achieve social and economic growth in developing countries.

Over the span of the last four-and-a-half decades, ADFD has disbursed AED81 billion in concessionary loans and government grants across 88 countries.

His Excellency Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of ADFD, said: "The international community is taking great strides to improve the economic and social situation in many developing countries, which suffer from high rates of poverty and unemployment and the deterioration of health services and education. The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is an opportunity to further mobilise international efforts and boost cooperation, ensuring the creation of job opportunities and overall socio-economic well-being.”

Al Suwaidi added: “Over the years, ADFD has intensified its efforts to finance health care as well as education projects in particular to reduce poverty rates and increase the standard of living in beneficiary countries.

In addition to supporting sustainable development in key socio-economic sectors, ADFD aims to reduce poverty rates by contributing to the healthcare and education sectors. Notable projects include:

Healthcare Sector

Among the strategic healthcare projects funded by ADFD is the 200-bed children's hospital in King Hussein Medical City in Jordan. The Fund earmarked AED73 million for the first two phases of the project. Fitted out with the latest medical equipment to offer specialised care and treatment, the hospital has contributed to the development of the healthcare sector in Jordan through enhancing the quality of health services available to its citizens. Furthermore, ADFD supported the expansion of King Hussein Medical City through allocating AED735 million towards the construction of a new 940-bed hospital. The state-of-the-art facility accommodates more than 1,200 patients daily. ADFD also funded the Al-Bashir Hospital and the King Hussein Cancer Center in Jordan.

In Pakistan, ADFD provided AED94 million to build the Emirates Hospital – an integrated specialty medical centre with 1,000 beds. The facility has the capacity to receive 6,000 patients daily. The hospital is also equipped with laboratories and lecture halls to train military personnel and civilians to perform medical duties.

In the Seychelles, ADFD funded an AED16.3 million integrated healthcare project that seeks to provide high-quality healthcare and treatment at an affordable cost.

In Turkmenistan, the Fund allocated AED43 million towards the development of a series of integrated health projects that aim to improve the quality of healthcare services offered by the government. The project involves the construction of specialty hospitals to treat complicated diseases in a bid to reduce disabilities and mortality rates among the population. 

Moreover, ADFD financed the construction of the AED16 million Sheikh Khalifa Hospital in the Comoros and an AED562 million cardiac centre in Bahrain to reduce the pressure on specialised heart disease treatment facilities in the country.

Education Sector

In line with the Pakistani government’s development goals, ADFD has played a crucial and supportive role in improving and advancing the country’s education sector. In this regard, in 2013, ADFD managed an AED46 million grant earmarked for training colleges. This project led to the construction of three training colleges for individuals living in remote areas. These include Warsak College in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and Wana College and Spinkai Cadet College - both located in South Waziristan.

in addition, in 2009, ADFD allocated AED7 million to fund expansion works at the Sheikh Zayed International Academy (SZIA) in Pakistan. In Afghanistan, ADFD managed an estimated AED27 million Abu Dhabi government grant to develop the Sheikh Zayed University in Khost Province. This grant helped source and enhance specialised faculties at the university, particularly in the fields of medicine, engineering, law, arts, literature, and in education sciences, among other diverse disciplines. Furthermore, to prepare all students for employment and equip them with knowledge and capabilities to overcome socio-economic challenges, this project also includes vocational career support initiatives.

In Morocco, the Fund managed an Abu Dhabi government grant worth AED239 million. The grant helped purchase equipment for the 916-bed Mohammed VI University Hospital in Marrakesh. The specialist medical complex spans 8.8 hectares.