Latest news with #humanitarian
The National
3 hours ago
- Politics
- The National
UAE eases visa rules for Sudanese citizens whose passports have almost expired
The UAE will allow Sudanese citizens with less than six months left on their passports to obtain or renew residency visas in a show of solidarity amid the war in their homeland. The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) told The National on Friday that the decision aimed to help people regularise their status in the face of 'exceptional circumstances'. Applicants must typically have at least six months remaining on their passport to secure residency in the Emirates. The civil war in Sudan – which broke out in April 2023 – has hampered the efforts of its citizens based overseas to renew their passports. Tens of thousands of people have been killed and millions forced to flee the country as the conflict has created a worsening humanitarian crisis. 'The move reflects the UAE's efforts to strengthen the social and humanitarian well-being for those impacted in the exceptional circumstances in their country,' the ICP said in a statement. 'The procedures will be smooth and flexible to renew their permits after exempting them from paying fines.' 'The decision is part of wider national efforts to promote social and humanitarian stability for residents in the country.' For Ahmed El Shiekh, a Sudanese citizen living in Dubai, the decision will help him to renew his residency and secure his job. 'It is really great initiative. It takes quite long to get a new passport and may take up to six months to get one from Sudan,' the 37-year-old said. Mr El Shiekh, whose passport will expire in four months, said he can apply now to renew his residency. 'I was afraid to lose my job and didn't know what to do. I spent most of my life in the UAE and have no other place to go. I'm relieved,' he added.
Mail & Guardian
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Mail & Guardian
Egypt stops Global March on Gaza in its tracks
Protest: About 4 000 people from about 80 countries met in Cairo and had planned to walk 45km from el-Arish in Egypt's North Sanai Governorate to Rafah on the southern border of the Gaza Strip. But they were stopped before even reaching the border. Photo: Jimi Matthews The day started with fear and uncertainty. We had arrived in Cairo two days before amid rumours of detentions, assaults, and deportations. A former colleague of mine had warned, 'Watch your back, the authorities are hectic.' I was in Egypt to join the Global March on Gaza scheduled for Friday 13 June. About 4 000 activists from more than 80 countries had responded to the call to go to the border of Egypt and Gaza, set up a camp and demand the opening of humanitarian corridors into Gaza and an end to the siege. The idea was to meet in Cairo, board a convoy of buses and to travel to the town of el-Arish in the Sinai Peninsula. Carrying rucksacks, sleeping bags and tents, the participants would then march 45 kilometres on foot to the Rafah border. Arriving in Cairo as tourists, we would be informed where the pick-up points for the buses would be. We had also been informed that the Egyptian authorities had been approached for permission to proceed to el-Arish. Even before leaving South Africa, we had heard that people were being turned back at the airport in Cairo or that some who had cleared customs were being rounded up and deported. The atmosphere was reminiscent of those old spy movies set in the Eastern Bloc. 'Be careful who you speak to, try not to attract any attention, don't venture out on your own, beware, even the walls have ears.' Stories of the notoriety of Egyptian prison conditions and the 'disappearance' of people were rife. There were also stories of people who had been attacked by locals opposed to our presence. And above all, that the march would not be allowed. And so we spent Thursday night huddled in our hotels like fugitives. Surreptitiously we were instructed to be ready to leave at 7am. Directions to the pick-up points would be issued just before we leave the hotel. Later on, the departure time was changed to 12.30. In the reception area our cohort was informed of a further change in plans. For security reasons we would no longer be travelling by bus. We needed to divide ourselves into groups of three and call for a taxi or an Uber and head off to an address provided. We were instructed to leave the hotel one group at a time, to be followed by the next, only if the previous group had informed the others that they were in their respective vehicles and on their way. We (myself and two other South Africans) were the first to leave. With rucksacks on our backs and the best wishes of our fellow travellers, we stepped into the blinding midday sunlight and made our way to the street corner where our Uber would pick us up. Muhammed, our driver, a pleasant affable chap, offered us a cigarette, as we set off on the highway out of Cairo. About an hour out of Cairo we reached the Kamphashir toll station. It was chaos. Cars, tourist buses and minicabs were being held up by dozens and dozens of law enforcement types, some in uniforms, others in plain clothes, all of them armed. There was also a military presence. People were being asked for their passports and told to step out of their vehicles and wait on the side of the road. Amid it all, we concocted a story that we were heading to a youth hostel just beyond the toll gate to spend a few days at the ocean. After handing over our passports and having our phones scrutinised, we were told to join the masses on the side of the road. Nobody seemed to know what was going on except that it was quite obvious that the authorities were onto us. We speculated that we would probably be forced onto the police transport vehicles and either taken directly to the airport to be deported or, worse, taken to a detention centre. Some of the organisers tried to negotiate our safe passage to continue. After about an hour the authorities offered back our passports on condition that we returned to Cairo. And because most of the taxis and Uber drivers had understandably left the scene, we would have to make use of the transport provided by the police. A few 'delegates' took up the offer but the majority of the roughly 250 people chose to stay put, determined to continue on our mission. The decision was also taken that if we were not allowed to proceed then we would set up camp right there on the side of the road. The rejection of the offer seemed to infuriate the officers present. After almost three hours in the scorching heat, we were penned in a confined space and told to wait as more military and crowd control vehicles rolled up. Men armed with Kalashnikovs and other weaponry surrounded us. About 4 000 people from about 80 countries met in Cairo and had planned to walk 45km from el-Arish in Egypt's North Sanai Governorate to Rafah on the southern border of the Gaza Strip. But they were stopped before even reaching the border. Photo: Jimi Matthews We were informed that we would not be allowed to proceed with our journey and that if we did not board the buses that had now replaced the police vehicles we would not get our passports back. During the standoff we made the most of the solidarity inspired by comrades rallying around a common cause. There were activists from around the world, sharing what food and water that they had. Young people chanting the now universally known slogans in support of Palestine. A small group of Turkish musicians, playing traditional instruments and singing soulful songs, kept us entertained. Despite the oppressive heat, our spirits were high, united in our determination not to be moved. And then, unannounced, a bunch of large burly men, bouncer types, descended on us. Senior activists advised the group to sit down, remain calm, interlock our arms and offer no resistance. In the face of barked commands and threats, a group of young people started singing freedom songs in support of Palestine. On command, the men suddenly started grabbing at those on the fringes. Any resistance was met by hard body blows and kicks. Some people also suffered baton blows to the body. In the ensuing panic we were forced to board the buses. Still shook up, I realised I was on the wrong bus. In the bus alongside singing broke out and the young people were rocking again, undaunted by the threats of violence. We were kept waiting on the buses until our passports were returned to each of us. In the dark we headed back to Cairo. And then on the outskirts of Cairo we were unceremoniously dropped off, two or three at a time, at random intervals. Still shook up we made our way back to the hotel. As I reflected on the day, I realised we had won. We were not cowered. We did not make it to Rafah but we did not capitulate. Our demand for the humanitarian aid corridors to Gaza to be opened and an end to the siege remain. Jimi Matthews is a writer, photographer, editor, cameraman and producer. He covered the First Intifada in 1989 and has visited the Occupied Territories many times since then. His work included a major photo exhibition of his visit in 2023.
Khaleej Times
8 hours ago
- General
- Khaleej Times
'They don't need our pity': Creators share refugee stories, call for dignity over aid
At a refugee camp in Lebanon, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Karen Wazen met a young girl whose image has stayed with her ever since. No older than five, the child was caring for her toddler sister, tying her shoes, running after her, and keeping her safe with a sense of responsibility far beyond her age. 'I remember thinking, I'm a grown woman with every privilege, and I still wonder if I'm getting motherhood right,' Wazen said. 'And there she was, doing it all, with nothing.' The Lebanese content creator has spent nearly eight years working with refugee communities in Lebanon and Kenya. What began as an effort to lend support, she said, turned into a deeply personal transformation. 'I thought I was going to help them. I didn't realise they would be the ones changing me.' As the world marked World Refugee Day on June 20, Wazen's reflection offered more than just a moment of solidarity; it served as a reminder of the individuals behind the numbers. More than 120 million people are currently displaced globally, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the highest number ever recorded. Countries across the Middle East and Africa continue to bear a significant share of this responsibility, including Lebanon, Jordan, Sudan, and Yemen. This year, a campaign titled Creators for Purpose was launched in partnership between Meta, UNHCR, and Creators HQ to draw attention to refugee experiences through digital storytelling. The campaign aims to raise both awareness and funds. 'People want to give back, now more than ever,' said Mon Baz, Director of Global Partnerships at Meta for Africa, the Middle East and Turkey. 'When creators share real stories with empathy, it cuts through the noise. It reminds people that behind the word 'refugee' is someone just like them.' The initiative focuses on humanitarian emergencies in countries such as Syria, Sudan, Yemen, and among the Rohingya population, with funds directed toward cash assistance, relief items, and services like education, protection, and psychosocial support. Between surviving and living The campaign also reinforces a shift in how refugee needs are understood, not just in terms of survival, but in terms of dignity. In a statement, Alya Al Musaiebi, Director of The Big Heart Foundation, noted that needs evolve depending on context. 'In refugee communities, needs multiply in proportion to loss, of home, of safety, of control,' she stated. 'The need is not just to survive, but to feel alive.' Al Musaiebi called on the humanitarian sector to move beyond simply meeting basic needs. 'Without dignity, even food and medicine lose meaning. Aid must preserve self-respect and empower people as active participants in rebuilding their lives.' This philosophy is also reflected in Wazen's own approach to advocacy. 'When I first started, I felt something was missing in my platform,' she said. 'I was sharing fashion and lifestyle, but it felt empty. I realised that having a voice, having reach, comes with responsibility.' Cost of showing up Wazen, whose online following exceeds eight million, admits that regularly engaging with humanitarian causes also comes at a personal cost. 'There are days I ask myself: what does this even mean? I post a story, and people are dying somewhere else. What am I doing?' she said. 'But I remind myself that we all need balance. Even bringing a smile to someone's face is a kind of solidarity. That too has value.' Al Musaiebi echoed that sentiment, stating: 'Genuine solidarity is not measured solely by what we provide, but by what we help keep alive within the individual, passion, dignity, and the ability to dream.' As the campaign gains traction, Wazen hopes it will help shift public perception of refugees away from passive recipients of aid. 'They don't need our pity,' she said. 'They need us to see them.' The message, repeated by advocates and campaign organisers alike, is clear: refugees are not a 'special case.' They are individuals whose needs mirror our own, security, belonging, opportunity, and whose futures must be shaped by dignity, not dependency. As Al Musaiebi put it: 'When dignity is restored, aid becomes partnership. Shelter becomes a home. The refugee becomes the architect of their future.'
BBC News
13 hours ago
- BBC News
Essex bus company donates two former vaccination units to Ukraine
An Essex bus company has donated two disused mobile vaccination buses to the Covid-19 pandemic, the single-decker buses were converted to administer thousands of vaccinations to vulnerable people in remote or isolated they are being repurposed to support humanitarian efforts in the war-torn Hiron, of Rochford-based independent bus company Stephensons, said: "The NHS decided they had no further use for them, so we asked the question 'would these buses be any use to Ukraine?' and the answer was very much yes." 'Hide from drones' The company bought back the vehicles and one has already arrived in Ukraine. A second will join a convoy of aid on Sunday, loaded with supplies and Hayden, 62, is organising the transport and driving the bus 1,600 miles to Ukraine is representing a not-for-profit livery company called the Worshipful Company of Carmen and expressed his gratitude to Stephensons. "We don't want to send them something... [when] you've got drones chasing you and you turn the key and it doesn't start. So we're after buses, minibuses, pickup trucks, lorries," he said."They want small minibuses because they can hide from the drones."It will be used for mobile doctor surgeries, mobile hospital-type arrangements, so it will actually be used in the configuration it's in now."The trip will cost more than £1,200 just for transport including tolls and the ferry, and Mr Hayden urged people to donate to his organisation's appeal. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Washington Post
14 hours ago
- Washington Post
10 years after Europe's migration crisis, the fallout reverberates in Greece and beyond
LESBOS, Greece — Fleeing Iran with her husband and toddler, Amena Namjoyan reached a rocky beach of this eastern Greek island along with hundreds of thousands of others. For months, their arrival overwhelmed Lesbos. Boats fell apart, fishermen dove to save people from drowning, and local grandmothers bottle-fed newly arrived babies.
