KISMAYO, Somalia - A UAE ship carrying 824 tonnes of food aid has arrived at Port of Kismayo, the interim capital of Jubaland State in southern Somalia.

The relief ship has been sent in line with the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and follow-up of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation.

An official source of the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation said that the food aid will be distributed to the needy people in the drought-stricken areas of Jubaland with the ultimate objective of alleviating the suffering of the Somali people.

Some Somali officials and beneficiaries praised the UAE and the charity foundation for providing them with the much-needed humanitarian aid.