The agreement was signed by Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, and by Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Abu Dhabi, in the presence of a number of senior officials from both sides.

Al Hashemy underscored that the UAE always seeks to enhance the values of partnership and cooperation with working international organisations, and provide all aspects of support to them in carrying out their relief work.

She added, "We cherish the distinguished relations and strengthened cooperation we have with the ICRC. The agreement to establish an office for the Committee in the UAE will contribute to achieving the desired goals in terms of relief work, reaching the needy and using modern technologies in this field, in light of the great challenges currently facing relief work in many regions of the world."

For his part, Maurer said, "The UAE plays an important role and is a key partner of the ICRC. The agreement to establish an ICRC office in the UAE will help strengthen our close cooperation, and we are grateful for the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in this regard. The ICRC is proud to have the UAE as part of our donor support group, and we are committed to continuing to strengthen our partnership in providing assistance to people affected by crises."