Our Humanitarian Aid Targeted Not Only Districts Under Control Of Legitimate Forces, But Also Yemenis Nationwide, Says Reem Al Hashimy

Our humanitarian aid targeted not only districts under control of Legitimate Forces, but also Yemenis nationwide, says Reem Al Hashimy

Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation said that the unprecedented humanitarian situation in Yemen

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 14th Jun, 2018) Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation said that the unprecedented humanitarian situation in Yemen, due to the Houthi militias practices that have long exploited the suffering of the Yemeni people to achieve political objectives, prompted us to take a serious stance to put an end for these practices and help the Yemeni people in this ordeal.

The remarks were made when Al Hashimy spoke at a joint press conference of the Arab Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen which was held today in Abu Dhabi with the consultant at the Saudi Royal Court Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeea, and General Supervisor of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief), The Minister of State for International Cooperation said, " We are looking for a glimmer of hope for the Yemeni people. More than three years have passed since the deterioration of the humanitarian situation, which was basically below the level desired by the human being to live a dignified life. After the Houthi coup on Yemeni legitimacy, the humanitarian conditions deteriorated dramatically in the country.

'' Our attention to ease the humanitarian suffering being witnessed by Yemenis was not limited to the districts under the control of the Legitimacy forces, but included all territories of Yemen, including areas under the control of the Houthi coup, given our approach to help and provide relief for the peoples regardless of, race, gender, religion or political stances," She added.

She noted, "We have set a humanitarian and development plan in consultation with the international institutions related to humanitarian assistance within an integrated system to provide an air and sea relief bridge to help the people of Hodeidah,".

Our attention to the humanitarian situation in Yemen has always been a priority for us. In this regard, the UAE has been one of the major supporters of the UN humanitarian response plans for Yemen. The most recent of these was the 2018 response plan. The UAE has provided $ 500 million to support this plan, she reaffirmed.

She reiterated that in the light of its pursuance to alleviate the suffering of the civilian Yemenis, the UAE, since 2015 to 2018, has provided humanitarian aid at a value that exceeded $ 3.7 billion which targeted 13.8 Yemenis, including 5.3 million children.

The assistance provided by the UAE was not limited to relief, but also included various areas to improve the humanitarian situation, promote infrastructure and services, revitalise the economy, and support security and other fields. We have seen notable improvement in Aden, Mukalla and Mocha after the intervention of the coalition forces and liberated them from the Houthis' futility.

She concluded that the Saudi-led Arab Coalition fully supports the Yemeni people, adding "We feel their suffering and we will never delay a day to help the fraternal people of Yemeni to lift all injustices from them until the land of Yemen returns as it was and better.

Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeea said the total value of relief and humanitarian aid provided by Saudi Arabia, through the KSRelief, to Yemen, stood at US$ 11.1 billion, including 1.1 billion as aid to the Yemeni visitors in Saudi Arabia, 2.9 billion as development aid to Yemen, 2.2 billion as bilateral government to government aid, 3 billion provided to Yemen Central Bank, in addition to 500 million for the comprehensive humanitarian contingency plan.

He added that the UAE and Saudi aid to Hodeidah included an air bridge from Jazan and Abu Dhabi, with ships carrying foodstuff, medical, sheltering materials and fuel, in addition to boosting the local economy, providing medical equipment to hospitals and operating power plants.

He gave an account on the Saudi assistance and relief items provided for Yemenis since May 2015 to date worth more than US$ 1 billion, the assistance provided by KSrelief amounting to 262 projects through 80 local and international partners, including health, food security, early treatment, accommodation and shelter, water, environment treatment, nutrition, education, protection and others, including 71 projects for women and 83 humanitarian projects for children.