Gulf News reported that according to a report by the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the UAE gave Dh19.3 billion worth of development assistance last year, making up of 1.31 per cent of its national income.
Development assistance provided by the UAE grew by 18.1 per cent compared to 2016, and over 54 per cent of the aid was administered in the form of grants.
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, welcomed the news.
“For the fifth consecutive year, the UAE is the largest donor of humanitarian aid in the world, relative to its national income, where our assistance reached more than 147 countries. The UAE’s generosity is for the entire humanity...This is the nation which was founded by the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan,” he tweeted.
Sweden came second, contributing 1.01 per cent of its gross national income, followed by Luxembourg at 1 per cent, Norway at 0.99 per cent, while Denmark came fifth with 0.72 per cent and the UK came sixth at 0.7 per cent.