A UAE paper has said that the UAE, under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has remained a source of humanitarian goodness and charity, being the legacy of the founding father of the nation, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

“Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s launching of the International Humanitarian City, IHC, Strategy 2015-2021 highlights the extraordinary value the leadership offers the benevolent sector,” said Gulf Today in its editorial on Wednesday.

It continued, “It is a matter of great pride for the country that the IHC has delivered humanitarian assistance to the tune of more than AED 1 billion in total.” The UAE has translated development and humanitarian aid into a foreign policy instrument. The philosophy behind this is two-fold: first, it is dictated by an Islamic belief that helping those in need is a primary duty; and second, that part of the country’s wealth should be devoted to assisting less fortunate countries and individuals.

Established in 2003 by Sheikh Mohammed, the IHC has now grown to become the world’s largest and busiest logistics hub for humanitarian aid with United Nations agencies and other NGOs and commercial entities as members.

Aided by the logistical advantage that puts it within seven hours by air for two-thirds of the world’s population, it has helped deliver assistance during some of the worst humanitarian crises of the past decade, including the 2004 tsunami in South-east Asia, the recurring drought in the Horn of Africa, civil unrest in Afghanistan and Darfur, and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

The International Humanitarian City has made it clear that it aims to become a leader that champions humanitarian efforts through innovation and cooperation, pioneering the way as the world’s very first humanitarian logistical hub.

“The world knows what the UAE says, it does,” concluded the Sharjah-based English language daily.