Dubai: The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) has pledged support to healthcare projects carried out by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) around the world.

This support forms part of the proceeds of the Fathers’ Endowment campaign, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on 21 February 2025. The campaign aimed to honour fathers in the UAE by launching a sustainable endowment fund to provide healthcare for the poor and needy. The campaign achieved record success, raising over AED 3.7 billion before the end of Ramadan.

MBRGI announcement was made during its participation in the World Economic Forum, held in Davos, Switzerland from 19 to 23 January under the theme ‘A Spirit of Dialogue’.
In a meeting hosted at the UAE Pavilion at the 56th edition of the World Economic Forum 2026, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Member of the Board of Trustees of MBRGI, discussed with Dr. Barham Salih, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, prospects of strengthening cooperation between MBRGI and UNHCR. They also discussed coordinating efforts to achieve shared visions, and building on the successes achieved since the partnership started in 2021. 

The meeting was also attended by His Excellency Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Secretary General of MBRGI, and His Excellency Saeed Al Eter, CEO of MBRGI. 

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid witnessed the signing of a partnership agreement between MBRGI and UNHCR by His Excellency Mohammad Al Gergawi and Dr. Barham Salih. 

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum affirmed that MBRGI, guided by the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on ongoing support of underprivileged communities, is  committed to supporting humanitarian efforts of UN organisations, adding that its partnership with the UNHCR reflects the UAE's approach to humanitarian action, rooted in reaching out to underprivileged populations and fostering sustainable solutions to global crises. 

His Highness added: “This pledge aligns with MBRGI’s vision to deliver a lasting humanitarian impact by supporting programmes that provide essential needs and healthcare to underserved populations. Such efforts help uphold their dignity as well as empower them to build a safer, more stable future.”

Longstanding partnership
His Excellency Mohammad Al Gergawi affirmed that MBRGI’s support for UNHCR’s healthcare projects reflects the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, of supporting international efforts to ease the suffering of refugees and ensuring their access to improved standards of living and comprehensive healthcare.

His Excellency Al Gergawi said: “MBRGI’s latest collaboration with UNHCR builds upon a longstanding partnership established in 2021, which has already transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of refugees, displaced persons and members of host communities. This contribution reaffirms MBRGI’s unwavering commitment to its humanitarian mission to support underprivileged populations. By leveraging our resources and expertise, MBRGI continues to uphold its founding ideals, particularly fostering hope and ensuring people’s right to a life of dignity.”

A global example
Dr. Barham Salih expressed appreciation for the ongoing, strategic support by MBRGI to refugees around the world, noting that MBRGI’s contributions over the past years enabled UNHCR to carry out life-saving interventions aimed at safeguarding human dignity, foster resilience and provide access to essential services including healthcare and livelihood support. 

Dr. Salih added that as the world witnesses unprecedented levels of displacement and mounting pressures on humanitarian resources, UNHCR’s role now requires renewed focus on delivering impact and efficiency, stressing that this is a shared responsibility. Dr. Salih commended MBRGI as a global example of principled humanitarian action, that illustrates how good leadership and philanthropy can be transformed into tangible outcomes for the world’s most vulnerable populations.

The partnership between MBRGI and the UNHCR began in 2021, with MBRGI serving as a key contributor to funding the UNHCR's programmes.

Providing essential medical services
Since its inception in 2015, MBRGI has spent over AED13.8 billion in humanitarian aid and relief efforts, benefiting approximately 788 million people in 118 countries. MBRGI’s efforts fall under five main pillars: Humanitarian Aid & Relief, Healthcare & Disease Control, Spreading Education & Knowledge, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and Empowering Communities.

The Healthcare & Disease Control pillar, which includes the Fathers’ Endowment campaign, represents a primary focus of MBRGI. Within this pillar, MBRGI addresses fundamental health challenges, combats infectious diseases and epidemics, and alleviates suffering in underserved regions by providing essential medical services.
Within this pillar, MBRGI’s spending in 2024 surpassed AED210 million, reaching more than 6.5 million people worldwide.

MBRGI consolidates over 30 initiatives and institutions. It aims to tackle pressing global challenges and invest in human capital to empower vulnerable communities by spreading education, combating poverty and disease, and promoting tolerance.