DUBAI: The UAE has launched a fundraising campaign to provide potable water to five million people facing shortages in Asia and Africa, local press said on Sunday.

The campaign that began on Saturday has already collected 33.5 million dirhams ($9.1 million, 6.7 million euros), mostly from top companies, and the government called for more donations before it ends on July 17.

The drive was timed to start with Ramadan, a period to pay alms.

The UAE Red Crescent has already started work on boring wells in 10 countries, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Niger, Somalia, Ghana, Sudan, Indonesia, Togo and Iraq, a local daily said.

The UAE donated 1.014 billion dirhams between 2009 and 2013 in aid to solve water problems in 61 countries, according to official statistics.