DUBAI, UAE (WAM) – The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA Dubai) organised a field tour for media representatives at the Centre for harbouring in Al Awir to introduce them to the Centre’s integrated system and services.
The Centre provides comprehensive care for people who are unable to travel to their home countries due to various circumstances.
During the tour, participants were briefed on the Centre’s facilities and operating mechanisms, which embody Dubai’s vision and approach to transforming humanitarian principles into sustainable institutional practices whose impact is reflected on individuals and society.
The tour was attended by Lieutenant-General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director-General of GDRFA Dubai; Major-General Harib Mohammed Al Shamsi, Deputy Commander-in-Chief for Criminal Affairs at Dubai Police; Major-General Khalaf Ahmed Al Ghaith, Assistant Director-General for Entry Permits and Residency; Major-General Dr. Ali bin Ajif Al Zaabi, Assistant Director-General for Violators and Foreigners Follow-up; and a number of GDRFA Dubai officials.
The Centre for harbouring provides stranded individuals with an integrated system of care and services until their departure procedures are completed, through specialised teams that follow up on each case and coordinate with the relevant authorities to complete the required documentation and procedures.
The Centre offers nine main services that meet the various needs of stranded individuals. These include healthcare through fully equipped medical clinics, social and humanitarian care, personal care, the safekeeping of valuables and personal belongings, security services, awareness and recreational programmes, accommodation and catering services, as well as coordination with embassies, consulates and competent authorities to issue travel documents and departure permits.
It also coordinates with specialised companies to complete travel procedures, issue tickets, arrange transportation and facilitate departure from the country, helping to expedite the completion of departure procedures.
The integration of this system was reflected in the volume of services provided by the Centre during the first half of 2026, when 11,696 people who were unable to complete their travel procedures benefited from its services.
During the same period, the Centre issued 11,696 travel tickets, coordinated with consulates to issue 4,568 travel documents, conducted 11,696 initial medical examinations, and provided 1,906 specialist medical visits, in addition to serving 322,232 meals to residents.
These figures reflect the integration of the Centre’s service system and its commitment to meeting the various needs of stranded individuals.
Lieutenant-General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director-General of GDRFA Dubai, affirmed that the humanitarian approach adopted by Dubai constitutes a fundamental pillar in developing the government services system, based on the vision of the wise leadership, which has placed people at the centre of development and made them a priority of government work.
He added, “The Centre for harbouring stranded individuals embodies a civilised model reflecting the UAE’s values of tolerance, solidarity and respect for human dignity. It confirms that the security, safety and stability enjoyed by Dubai are not limited to its citizens and residents, but extend to everyone who finds themselves in exceptional circumstances that prevent them from returning to their home country.
“We believe that true leadership is measured by the ability of institutions to serve people and provide them with support under different circumstances, thereby reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global city for living and working and as a model for humanitarian services.”
For his part, Major-General Dr. Ali bin Ajif Al Zaabi, Assistant Director-General of the Violators and Foreigners Follow-up Sector at GDRFA Dubai, affirmed that the Centre represents an integrated operational system designed to provide practical and rapid solutions for humanitarian cases through specialised teams that follow up on every case from the moment it enters the Centre until its departure from the country.
The Centre embodies GDRFA Dubai’s vision of developing a sustainable humanitarian services system that combines efficient performance with quality of life, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global city that places people at the heart of its priorities and consolidating a leading model in security, safety and humanitarian care.
NEWS AND IMAGE COURTESY: WAM NEWS (www.wam.ae)
