The Arab Coalition Supporting Legitimacy in Yemen announced on Monday the launch of comprehensive humanitarian operations, worth $1.5 billion to help the war-torn country, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Among these initiatives are a donation to the UN humanitarian organizations in Yemen, projects to increase the capacity of Yemen's ports, programs to reduce the cost of transportation and improve road infrastructure, and the establishment of air bridge to deliver humanitarian aid to Marib.
The announcement was made during a meeting for Arab Coalition foreign ministers in the Saudi capital Riyadh.
With regards to the humanitarian operations, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said that the Kingdom, in cooperation and coordination with its partners, will launch on Monday comprehensive humanitarian operations in Yemen which will have a great humanitarian impact on the life of Yemeni people.
He also said that these operations will address the humanitarian needs of the current phase, as the operations will include projects for infrastructure development in Yemen that would ensure an increase in the capacity to receive aid via air, land and sea ports.
"These operations reflect the Kingdom's firm stance towards supporting the Yemeni people and providing them with all means for a decent life. The initiatives of comprehensive humanitarian operations will increase Yemen's imports receiving capability from 1.1 million metric tons per month in 2017 to 1.4 million metric tons per month," Jubeir added.
He also stated that the Arab Coalition will contribute to the Comprehensive Humanitarian Operations in Yemen with an amount of $1.5 billion to finance the UN Humanitarian Response Plan in Yemen 2018.
"This amount will be distributed through UN agencies and international relief organizations," added the minister, explaining that an amount of $2 billion will be deposited at the Central Bank of Yemen to enhance the economic stability. An additional amount of $30-40 million will be dedicated to expanding Yemeni ports' capacity in terms of receiving more shipments. A sum of $20-30 million will be allocated to reducing the cost of land transportation.
Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi expressed his deep gratitude to Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their efforts in alleviating the suffering of the Yemeni people.
Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Saeed Al Jaber said that the comprehensive humanitarian operations in Yemen aim at providing urgent relief to the Yemeni people in order to reduce the significant deterioration in food security and humanitarian situation in general.
Spokesman for the Arab Coalition Colonel Turki bin Saleh al-Malki said that the alliance will put its military resources at the disposal of this major humanitarian operation in order to protect air, sea and land supply routes.
