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Yemen, World Bank Agree to Speed up Supply of COVID-19 Vaccines

A World Bank economic update released this month said an unprecedented protracted humanitarian crisis, aggravated by COVID-19, leaves many Yemenis mostly dependent on relief and remittances. (Reuters)
A World Bank economic update released this month said an unprecedented protracted humanitarian crisis, aggravated by COVID-19, leaves many Yemenis mostly dependent on relief and remittances. (Reuters)
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Yemen, World Bank Agree to Speed up Supply of COVID-19 Vaccines

A World Bank economic update released this month said an unprecedented protracted humanitarian crisis, aggravated by COVID-19, leaves many Yemenis mostly dependent on relief and remittances. (Reuters)
A World Bank economic update released this month said an unprecedented protracted humanitarian crisis, aggravated by COVID-19, leaves many Yemenis mostly dependent on relief and remittances. (Reuters)

Yemen agreed with the World Bank to establish a credit fund to support the ports and roads sector and speed up the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines.

Yemen’s Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Waid Batheeb held talks in Cairo on Monday with the regional team of the World Bank, headed by its Regional Director in Egypt, Yemen and Djibouti, Marina Weis, on establishing the credit fund.

“This fund will mobilize resources and will invest them in the right places. It will also help speed up the execution of projects and their design to suit real needs,” Yemeni Deputy Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Nizar Bashaib, told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The fund will kick off with a sum of $20 million from the World Bank, appropriated to roads and ports.

“This fund will be open for donors to finance and therefore, we are waiting for the next meeting of donors” to invest in it, Bashaib said, adding that the fund was already activated.

The Saba news agency said the Cairo meeting tackled preparations to hold a meeting for donors to finance the fund. It confirmed that efforts have been expanded to address Yemen’s water, sanitation, agriculture and fisheries needs.

A World Bank economic update released this month said an unprecedented protracted humanitarian crisis, aggravated by COVID-19, leaves many Yemenis mostly dependent on relief and remittances.

Last month, a virtual conference held by the United Nations and co-hosted by Sweden and Switzerland pledged only $1.7 billion to Yemen, a sum that experts said could not prevent large-scale famine from "engulfing" the war-torn country.

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Iraqi Foreign Minister: We Have Received Explicit Israeli Threats

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)
Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)
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Iraqi Foreign Minister: We Have Received Explicit Israeli Threats

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)
Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein stated on Friday that Iraq has received explicit threats from Israel, adding that the country’s armed forces have been instructed by the prime minister to prevent any attacks originating from Iraqi territory.

According to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani directed the armed forces to take action against anyone launching attacks from the country. The foreign minister emphasized that Iraq does not seek war and aims to avoid its dangers, noting that the region is “on fire” and facing “clear threats from Israel.”

The agency also reported that the Iraqi government has requested an emergency meeting of the Arab League Council to address Israeli threats. Iraq’s permanent representative to the Arab League submitted a request for a session at the level of permanent representatives of member states to confront what was described as menaces from the “Zionist entity.”

Earlier, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced that he had sent a message to the president of the UN Security Council urging immediate action against activities of Iran-backed militias in Iraq. Sa’ar asserted that the Iraqi government bears responsibility for any actions occurring within or emanating from its territory.

Meanwhile, Iraqi officials have expressed pessimism about the outcome of the ongoing war in the Middle East. Nevertheless, they emphasized Baghdad’s commitment to supporting efforts to achieve lasting peace and security.

Speaking at the American University Forum in Duhok on Friday, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani highlighted that the challenges facing Iraq have fundamentally changed since October 7.

He described the current situation in the Middle East as a “second Nakba”, stressing that the challenges stem from the failure of the international system, which he described as “ambiguous.”

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid stated that Iraq would play its role in promoting peace in the Middle East and expressed his full support for efforts aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution to the Kurdish issue in Türkiye.

Speaking at the Duhok Forum, Rashid said that Iraq and the region are facing circumstances that require all parties to closely monitor the situation and find appropriate solutions to ongoing problems, emphasizing the need for lasting peace and security.

Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, called for Iraq to remain neutral in the conflict, saying: “The crises in the region and the scenes of war in Lebanon and Gaza are tragic. We hope this suffering will come to an end.”

“We are all awaiting changes following the US presidential election. All indications suggest that a Trump administration will adopt a different approach compared to President Biden’s policies,” he added.

The Iraqi government has stated that under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with the United States, Washington is responsible for “deterring and responding to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.”

According to media reports, the US has informed Baghdad that Israeli military strikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless Baghdad prevents Iran-backed factions from launching attacks against Israel.