Aga Khan Foundation commits Dh367m to UAE-led fight against global malnutrition
Funding to strengthen nutrition systems across Asia and Africa
DUBAI – The Aga Khan Foundation has pledged $100 million (Dh367 million) over the next five years to support the UAE’s global humanitarian effort to combat childhood hunger.
The commitment was announced during a Suhoor gathering in Dubai linked to the Edge of Life campaign, a major initiative launched during Ramadan to help rescue five million children from malnutrition worldwide.
The campaign was launched by His Highness Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, with the goal of raising at least Dh1 billion to address one of the world’s most urgent humanitarian challenges: severe child malnutrition. The initiative is coordinated by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, which convened philanthropists, development partners and business leaders to mobilise support.
The Aga Khan Foundation’s contribution represents one of the largest commitments so far to the campaign and underscores the growing international support behind the UAE-led humanitarian drive.
Edge of Life
The pledge was announced at a Suhoor event organised by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives in collaboration with Badr Jafar, Special Envoy of the UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs for Business and Philanthropy. The gathering took place at the Armani Hotel Dubai and brought together philanthropists, policymakers and corporate leaders.
The funding also marks a significant expansion of work carried out by the Aga Khan Development Network, which has for decades supported programmes aimed at improving nutrition, food systems and health outcomes in developing regions.
In his first year as Imam of the Ismaili Muslim community, Prince Rahim Aga Khan V has more than doubled the network’s financial commitment to nutrition initiatives. The new funding will reinforce ongoing programmes across Africa while supporting the expansion of the Central Asia Stunting Initiative into Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria and Tajikistan.
Combined with existing programmes, the development network expects to allocate approximately $100 million over the next five years to strengthen nutrition systems and prevent malnutrition in vulnerable communities.
“Malnutrition remains one of the greatest barriers to human development, undermining the health, potential, and dignity of millions of children and families,” Prince Rahim Aga Khan V said in a statement. “Addressing this challenge requires sustained commitment and collective action across sectors and societies.”
Hunger crisis
Officials at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives said the response from international donors reflects strong confidence in the UAE’s humanitarian approach.
Mohammad Al Gergawi, Secretary General of the organisation, described the partnerships emerging from the campaign as a global coalition to tackle hunger in the world’s most vulnerable regions. He said the growing list of contributors demonstrates how coordinated humanitarian action can help address the underlying causes of malnutrition.
According to international data, malnutrition continues to pose a severe threat to children worldwide. Statistics cited by organisers show that five children under the age of five die every minute from hunger or malnutrition-related causes.
The campaign focuses particularly on communities affected by conflict, displacement and natural disasters, where food insecurity and poor nutrition remain widespread.
To ensure long-term impact, the initiative aims not only to deliver emergency nutritional support but also to develop sustainable food systems and strengthen healthcare responses in regions most at risk.
The campaign is being implemented in partnership with several international organisations including UNICEF, Save the Children, Children's Investment Fund Foundation and Action Against Hunger.
Wider support
Alongside the Aga Khan Foundation’s pledge, UAE-based companies and philanthropists have also begun contributing to the campaign. The Al Waseef Group announced a Dh2 million donation in support of the initiative.
Ubaid Memoni, Vice Chairman of the group, said the campaign highlights the urgent need to expand efforts aimed at addressing hunger and malnutrition in underserved communities.
He said the initiative carries a strong humanitarian dimension by focusing on children facing severe nutritional deprivation and by mobilising support for programmes that can deliver rapid assistance.
Medical experts involved in the campaign emphasise that early detection and treatment of severe acute malnutrition can mean the difference between life and death for vulnerable children. A key diagnostic indicator is the middle-upper arm circumference measurement, known as MUAC.
A MUAC measurement below 11.5 centimetres indicates severe wasting, reflecting the loss of essential muscle mass and nutritional reserves. At this level, children face a dramatically weakened immune system and a heightened risk of mortality without immediate nutritional intervention.
Campaign organisers say the Edge of Life initiative takes its name from this threshold, symbolising the narrow margin separating recovery through timely treatment from potentially fatal outcomes.
The initiative continues to accept contributions from individuals and institutions through several channels, including online donations, bank transfers and SMS contributions within the UAE. Donations are being directed towards programmes designed to provide therapeutic nutrition, strengthen healthcare systems and support sustainable food solutions in regions where child hunger remains most acute.