The development aid provided by the UAE in the year 2016 reached Dh15.57 billion ($4.24 billion), making it the world's largest donor of official development aid, according to data released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The aid made up 1.21 per cent of the country's Gross National Income (GNI), reported Emirates news agency Wam.

Over 58 per cent of the development aid provided by the UAE was in the form of grants.

Bolstering its global lead in several fields, UAE continues to maintain its rank as the world's largest donor of official development aid, relative to national income, following the path of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in serving humanity by assisting brotherly and friendly nations to develop their economies or mitigate impacts of natural disasters.

Sultan Mohammed Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for International Development Affairs, said the ranking is a fruit of the directives of President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and their wise approach of adopting humanitarian and developmental initiatives.

Norway came second, contributing 1.12 per cent of its GNI, followed by Luxembourg (1 per cent) and Sweden (0.94 per cent).