Saudi Arabia will continue to support and send humanitarian aid to Yemen through all its outlets, according to a Saudi official who confirmed that eight of Yemen’s ports are receiving humanitarian supplies normally.
The official denied all allegations that 80 percent of Hodeidah port’s imports are supplies, echoing UN’s report which stated that 75 percent of goods arriving at the port are construction materials and cars.
Spokesman of King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Aid (KSRelief) Samer al-Jatili announced that Aden port receives about 54 percent of the humanitarian aid and imports arriving at Yemen.
Speaking at a press conference at the Center's headquarters in Riyadh, Jatili said that all Yemeni outlets are open. He added: "They [Houthis] say Hodeidah is the only port receiving humanitarian aid and goods, but in reality, there are eight ports and sea outlets operating inside of Yemen."
The spokesman indicated that UN Inspection Committee stated that 75 percent of cargo arriving at Hodeidah are construction materials and cars.
"They [Houthis] continuously speak of the sufferings of Hodeidah, but sadly, port is not being equipped to receive humanitarian aid," Jatili confirmed.
Jatili revealed that several international organizations responded to the legitimate government's request to consider a de-centralized system when distributing humanitarian aid in Yemen.
"The main goal is to distribute aid fairly, and we want the organizations to be in the field to become acquainted with people's needs, assess aid delivery, and challenges facing them," he explained. However, he declared that organizations are only present in Sanaa and their movement is limited due to insurgency's restrictions.
The spokesperson confirmed that all outlets and crossings are open now and functionally normally.
"Sadly, a lot of what has been said in this regard is inaccurate information. Sea and land outlets under legitimacy control were only closed for four days, and reopened after reevaluation," Jatili told reporters adding "at the time Hodeidah port and Sanaa Airport were closed, all ships that were supposed to dock there were granted the permits to unload their cargo in Aden port without any delays."
In addition, Saudi Arabia offered Jazan airport as a substitute with a capacity to receive cargo six times Hodeidah’s capacity.
“Houthis continue to pressure organizations to operate from Hodeidah port which provides them with about $1,700,000 revenues used to finance their military effort, while teachers and medical staff salaries are not paid,” he indicated.
Since its establishment, KSrelief has provided 248 projects carried out by 119 local and international partners, with a total cost exceeding $847 million, of which more than 162 projects were implemented in Yemen by 85 partners with a total cost exceeding $715 million.
He stressed that the Center is exerting continuous efforts to alleviate the suffering of Yemenis and provide assistance to all Yemeni governorates without exception. He did, however, stress that if any organization was proven to be in violation, it will be stopped and any projects done with it will be ended.
KSRelief thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense, for their support reaching more than $1 billion worth of humanitarian and relief activities covering 38 countries.
