Saudi Arabia announced on Tuesday that it is contributing $500 million in new funding for the UN-approved Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan (YHRP) for 2019.
This donation increases the support provided by the kingdom to help the Yemeni people to more than $14 billion since the start of 2014.
The announcement of the latest funding was made by Dr Abdullah Al Rabeeah, advisor to the Royal Court and general supervisor of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre during the annual pledging event of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) held in Geneva.
Al Rabeeah said the new funding is in addition to recently announced aid such as “Imdaad” initiative to support food security and nutrition in Yemen, for the amount of $500 million split equally between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as a payment of $70 million split equally between kingdom and the UAE to help pay teachers’ salaries in Yemen.
“We meet today as the Yemeni people look forward to the outcome of our meeting to overcome the humanitarian, security and economic challenges that they face because of the inhumane practices of the Houthi militias. Despite the great efforts of the United Nations and the international community, Yemen is still suffering a lot because of the intransigence of these militias and their failure to respond to the resolutions of the United Nations and the international community,” he said in his speech.
“Humanitarian action in Yemen faces significant challenges as a result of the negative practices of these militias, which obstruct the access of humanitarian aid and seek to target and seize it,” he said, adding that 12 of these breaches have been monitored including the laying of mines and the denial of access to the Red Sea Mills in Hodeidah.
Saudi Arabia continues to be the largest supporter of Yemen and the United Nations Humanitarian Response Plan announced in 2018.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE have provided $1 billion, split equally, while Kuwait donated $250 million.
The financial support provided by Gulf nations has been spent on the programs of 12 United Nations organisations operating in 11 sectors, including food security, health, water, and sewage, in addition to partnerships established with 86 United Nations and international organisations.
Follow us on
