. dollars, in addition to humanitarian contributions from private institutions, including the contribution Extended by the Sheikh Khalifa Foundation in cooperation with Bill and Milenda Gates of US$ 50 million for vaccination of children in Afghanistan. The UAE also announced last August that it will provide a grant of US$ $250 million, which will be managed by the Abu Dhabi Development Fund, to support development projects in Afghanistan, particularly in the fields of housing for widows, orphans, and disabled persons, and the rehabilitation of the capital Kabul and other provinces of the country.
Since 2007, the UAE has been contributing directly to the international efforts in the reconstruction process, and has been providing support and assistance to Afghani people on the ground.
The UAE and its partners are committed to the stability and development of Afghanistan, especially that the success in this regard will be a focal point in countering extremism, radicalism, and international terrorism in the region. In addition, peace and stability of Afghanistan directly affects regional security including the Arabian Gulf Region.
Mr. President, The UAE maintains long-standing historical ties and outstanding relations with Pakistan. This is clearly reflected through the strong ties between the two countries at various levels, where Pakistanis worked and contributed positively to the UAE for many years.
The UAE is strongly committed to stability and long-term development of Pakistan, which is reflected in the support the UAE has committed itself to provide since the year 2000, amounting to U.S. $800 million to date. The aim of the UAE's efforts is to build an attractive environment for international trade and investment in Pakistan, as well as to help the Pakistani government in the promotion of moderation and political stability in the country. If achieved, this will help Pakistan curtail violence, extremism, and international terrorism.
Since international participation is central in ensuring the stability of Pakistan, in 2008 the UAE has undertaken the initiative to participate in the establishment of the group of "Friends of Democratic Pakistan". In this context, the UAE is working closely with Pakistan on many issues concerning stability and long-term sustainable development.
The UAE is well aware of the importance of the relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as the improvement of relations between the two countries is considered to be essential and important in order to achieve stability in Afghanistan and the region as a whole. The UAE is actively working with Pakistan to achieve stability and success in Afghanistan.
Mr. President The UAE is committed to a long established policy on preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and to work with the international community to avert the risk of nuclear proliferation. This stand by the UAE is reflected and proven by its signing the Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1995, and its signing of a comprehensive safeguards agreement in 2003, in addition to its ratification of the additional Protocol of 2010.
In manifestation of its policy to support all international, regional and multilateral efforts aimed at creating a safe and nuclear weapons free world, the UAE has recently joined the Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Weapons Disarmament Initiative (NPDI).
The UAE is concerned over the continuation of the Israeli nuclear program outside the control and surveillance of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); therefore, the UAE looks forward to the convening the International Conference in 2012 on establishing a Middle East nuclear weapons free zone in accordance with agreements reached during the last NPT Review Conference. We reiterate our call upon Israel to ratify the NPT treaty and place without conditions all its nuclear facilities under the safeguards regime of the IAEA. In this context, we also reaffirm our support for all efforts aimed at achieving a peaceful settlement to the Iranian nuclear issue within the framework of the provisions of related international resolutions, and the control of the IAEA.
Mr. President, The UAE seeks to obtain civilian nuclear program that is committed to the highest levels of safety, security, non-proliferation and operational transparency. The UAE government, in the context of its development of its nuclear program, explained the peaceful objectives of its program without ambiguity. It also developed its position in regards to non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the policy document issued by the government in 2008, in which it explained its intention not to attempt the full enrichment nuclear fuel in order to implement its peaceful program.
The UAE is working closely with the IAEA and its international partners to improve the global participation of non-proliferation, and is an active member in many international initiatives such as: the Global Initiative to Counter Nuclear Terrorism, and the Security Initiative to Counter Proliferation. The UAE is firmly implementing the resolutions of the UNSC calling for halting materials and sensitive technology shipments to Iran.
Simultaneously, the UAE pursues a responsible role as a producer of conventional energy resources on both national and international levels, by supporting oil and gas prices' stability in the markets, boosting the development of additional reserves of oil and gas, ensuring the availability of safe supply routes, and meeting the requirements of long-term sustainability through the development and consumption of low-carbon energy.
The UAE intends to continue working as a reliable and stable provider of resources for the rest of the world, in addition to its work through the OPEC and the International Energy Forum, and as a strong advocate of the stability of prices and the ongoing dialogue between producers and consumers around the world.
In addition, the UAE is leading the march towards developing renewable energy resources. It is hosting the newly established entity, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The UAE is investing billions of dollars in renewable energy locally and around the world, and it is also working on building the City of Masdar that will be fully sourced with renewable energy, and will host the leading companies in the field of low-carbon technologies.
This is linked to the work of the UAE in its promotion of international multilateral efforts aiming at reducing emissions and the effects of climate change. The UAE in this regard, renews its support to the road map and the Bali Action Plan issued in December 2007, aiming at reaching an international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the era post Kyoto. The UAE also stresses the need to consider carefully the interests and economies of oil producing and exporting countries. We reaffirm our readiness by actively participating in initiatives and efforts of the international community in order to build its capacity in facing the effects emerging from climate change, in which its serious environmental, economic, and humanitarian consequences have negatively affected all countries without exception, particularly the developing nations.
Mr. President, Food security is one of the biggest challenges facing the world. It is estimated that in 2010 more than 900 million people worldwide suffered from famine and chronic hunger. The recent tragedy in the Horn of Africa demonstrated the urgent need for concrete efforts by the international community in times of crisis to ensure protection for the most vulnerable peoples.
Upon seriously discussing the issue of food security, we cannot overlook the significance of water security, especially when we know that agricultural production consumes around 70% of freshwater resources globally. Therefore, the UAE deems it important to place the issue of scarcity and security of water in future plans aiming at increasing food production in the world.
Mr. President In line with its belief in the importance of promoting international partnerships to address several current challenges faced by our people in the 21st century, the UAE was keen to make the necessary national legislation which aims at activating its international and regional cooperation in order to counter all acts of terrorism, transnational crimes including drug and small arms trafficking, money laundering and other crimes.
Countering terrorism is a key element in the efforts of the UAE to ensuring its national security and enhancing regional and global security. Therefore, the fight against terrorism emerges as one of the top priorities on the foreign policy agenda of the UAE. The UAE has taken significant steps to counter terrorism including: countering money laundering, securing ports and container security, securing maritime corridors, and setting procedures for nuclear non-proliferation. Additionally, the UAE is actively working through military cooperation with its allies to combat terrorism.
Since countering terrorism requires more than mere military efforts, the UAE is working on applying different mechanisms to support its objectives in the field of countering terrorism. These mechanisms and initiatives include education and poverty alleviation, cultural dialogues, and other areas of concern. While violent ideologies feeding terrorism are mainly based on the absence of hope, and political and economic slowdown, the UAE believes that the best means to eliminate terrorism in the world are: encouraging prosperity and economic growth and the existence of just and accountable governments. The settlement of international disputes is the best guarantee to combat terrorism. These core principles reflect the role played by the UAE in global affairs.
Mr. President, The UAE is fully committed to the global efforts in countering human trafficking, and is working on taking the lead regionally in this regard. The UAE was the first country in the region to take the initiative of enacting a comprehensive law against human trafficking. It has issued a federal decree in 2006, aimed at countering human trafficking through protecting the communities affected with this horrible crime. In recent years it also issued a number of legislations aimed at regulating the recruitment and outsourcing of employment, maintaining the full rights of labourers, fighting all acts of human trafficking, prosecuting individuals involved in it, and ensuring the protection and support for all people affected based on commitments approved in related bilateral and international agreements, which have been signed in order to curb this scourge.
In 2009, the UAE joined the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially women and children. It also announced in 2010 its full support to the United Nations global plan to combat human trafficking through offering annual donations to the Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children.
Mr. President, The UAE realizes that the success of women's empowerment is an essential component to building a modern and tolerant society. Therefore, the UAE has achieved a number of remarkable successes in the field