Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein of Dubai visited a South Sudanese refugee camp in the western Ethiopian region of Gambella on Tuesday, in support of the UN Refugee Agency and other humanitarian workers in the region.

Haya, daughter of the late King Hussein of Jordan, is wife of the emir of Dubai, vice president of the United Arab Emirates.

During her one-day visit to the Kule 2 refugee camp, Princess Haya met with refugee children and their mothers. According to a statement by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Haya was also briefed by aid workers on the humanitarian situation.

She is quoted as saying, “The fact that the refugee emergency is still unfolding has hit me hard.”

She said she was “unprepared” for the suffering she found when visiting refugees in western Ethiopia, which now hosts 170,000 South Sudanese who have fled fighting since December.

The princess has donated half a million US dollars to support UNHCR's efforts in emergency nutrition and food security for South Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia.

Ann Encontre, UNHCR's Regional Refugee Coordinator, said, “Global advocacy for the South Sudan regional refugee crisis is desperately needed.”

“I am confident that this visit by UN Messenger of Peace HRH Princess Haya will raise the profile of this horrific crisis and hopefully serve to encourage heightened support from the international community."

Photo: The Princess of Dubai at a refugee camp in Ethiopia (UNHCR)