Dahabshiil Chief Executive Officer Abdirashid Duale wants the international community to continue assisting the poor in Africa who have been hit hard by the ongoing devastating drought.
Duale said this Monday night while attending the Muslim News Awards for Excellence 2017 to celebrate the very best of Muslim contribution to British society and recognise leading examples of good practice, excellence and future role models.
Britain’s longest standing Muslim awards event, hosted at London’s Grosvenor House, was also attended by leading names including Sajid Javid MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Dominic Grieve QC MP, Chairman, Intelligence and Security Committee, Baroness Shami Chakrabarti, Shadow Attorney General, Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh MP, SNP Westminster Spokesperson, International Trade and Rt Hon Tom Brake MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs & Chief Whip.
Dahabshiil handles the majority of UK money transfers to the Horn of Africa. Duale met with Sajid Javid at the event to discuss the importance of remittances not only to communities in poorer regions but also to the Diaspora communities who send money back to them. Diaspora-remitted funding to Somalia, for example, much of which is invested, has been key to maintaining social and family ties across long distances.
Dahabshiil has supported the event for over five years and Duale said he was proud to present the Al-Biruni Award for Excellence in Community Relations to winner Emdad Rahman, a dedicated community activist, involved in raising money for many charities, most notably the White Chapel Missions.
“Attending the event to celebrate the greatest achievements of the British Muslim community was a great honour. The award winners are fantastic examples of the contribution Muslims across the UK make to everyday society and it was an honour to present the community relations award,” Duale said.
“As we reflect on the fantastic achievements, we must not forget the situation currently affecting the communities in the Horn of Africa. The effects of a devastating drought mean that millions of people require aid.
“A united effort from the international community, together with Muslims at home and abroad, to bring aid to vulnerable communities and build stability in the country is what’s needed to ensure this new chapter in Somali history is a prosperous one.”
Dahabshiil recently committed to providing USD $300,000 to drought response activities in the acutely affected regions of Hiiraan, Bay, Bakool and Gedo. This is in addition to USD $1million of support provided by the company over the last six months, largely to Somali-led drought relief committees on the ground.
