UAE and Saudi Arabia: A sea and air bridge for the relief of Hodeidah residents

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have announced a new humanitarian initiative, that will include a bridge of food, medical, housing, oil products and other basic needs to the port of Hodeidah. To ensure the access of humanitarian and relief assistance through the port of Hodeidah to all areas liberated from the grip of the Huthi militias.

This was announced in a joint press statement at a press conference held last night in Riyadh, by the General Supervisor of the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Affairs, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabiah and UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Hashemi.

The two countries stressed in the joint statement that humanitarian action is the hope of every need, but the repeated violations by the Huthi- militias backed by Iran in Yemen have made the humanitarian process difficult. Pointing out in this regard to the control of these militias at all crossings by the operators of the delivery of aid, especially the port of Hodeidah and the detention of vessels carrying aid and impose fees on them.

Although it is considered one of the most basic rights of the Yemeni people in addition to its threatens to maritime navigation in the port.

The two countries stressed that these militias are carrying out systematic looting, where the people of the province of Hodeidah, who are adjacent to the port of Hodeidah are deprived from humanitarian assistance.

Despite the numerous demands by the legitimate Yemeni government and the coalition countries for the intervention of the United Nations and the international community, to monitor the port with a neutral mechanism that ensures safe use of the port. So that humanitarian aid, commercial goods and oil derivatives can enter the life of the Yemeni people. However, these militias have been and continue to refuse to respond to those endeavours, including what the former UN envoy put forward in his initiative and was agreed by all, except the coup militias.

The joint statement said: The countries of the coalition of support for legitimacy in Yemen led by Saudi Arabia  with the participation of the United Arab Emirates, is advancing a new humanitarian initiative. This initiative aims at intensifying the access of humanitarian aid and relief through the port of Hodeidah. To include all areas liberated from the grip of the Houthi militias backed by Iran. Where the coalition will start a sea bridge of food, medical, housing, oil products and other basic needs to the province of Hodeidah.

To achieve this success, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates appeal to the international community, especially the United Nations organizations, international organizations and all partners, to cooperate with the Yemeni people through the port of Hodeidah and the other available crossings. Stressing that the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Action in cooperation with the UAE Red Crescent will provide them with all possible support and facilities to alleviate the suffering of Yemen and its people.

The general supervisor of the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Work, Dr. Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al-Rabiah, reviewed at the press conference the assistance provided by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through the Center for Yemen, which is still ongoing and worth 11.1 billion dollars.

He explained that the aid included $ 1,105,101,821 in total humanitarian and relief assistance provided through the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Action. And $ 1,130,186,557 in total assistance to Yemeni visitors within the Kingdom. And $ 2,950,000,000 in total development assistance to Yemen and $ 2,275,718,347 in total bilateral government aid and $ 3 billion is the total amount provided to the Central Bank of Yemen. And $ 500 million for the Comprehensive Humanitarian Response Plan 2018.

Dr. Al-Rabiah said that the Saudi-UAE assistance to the province of Hodeidah will include the operation of a sea bridge from the port of Jizan and Abu Dhabi to the port of Hodeidah with ships carrying food, medical, housing and oil derivatives, distribution of food aid and meals within the province, in addition to economic and trade recovery in it. As well as supporting public and private hospitals and providing them with equipment, medicines and medical staff and the operation of electrical stations to maintain the operation of the port and hospitals and serve the people of the province.

 Regarding the Saudi aid to Yemen, including Al-Hodeidah, Al-Rabiah explained that it included the water supply to the Yemeni governorates at $ 1,353,800, combating malnutrition by $ 2,000,000 and combating poverty with the amount of $ 1,000,000.

And securing the provision of oxygen generators to hospitals at $ 1,440,720,  improving vaccination services and establishing and equipping health education and training workshops for $ 4,775,784.

The processing of emergency sections of the hospital of the revolution and the new Al-Hafidah in the province of 1,914,554 Riyal. And the cholera project with the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF for the Yemeni governorates with $ 67.2 million. And a project with the World Food Program worth $ 142 million for the provinces and a project with the World Food Program worth $ 10 million in Hodeidah.

As well as the distribution of 390 thousand basket of food during the period from 2015 to February 2018 and a project with the World Food Program worth $ 17,600,000 allocated to the province of Hodeidah 8,090 monthly food basket for a period of 3 months.

The General Supervisor of King Salman Center said that the center provided 20,000 food baskets during 2017, and provided 22,250 dry meals to school students in the province during the first quarter of 2018. The center allocated 22,250 baskets in the centers of al-Khokha and Al-Hays in the province of Hodeidah.

He revealed that the center is currently implementing the project of breaking the fast in the province of Hodeidah and a project with the UNHCR for $ 6 million in a number of Yemeni provinces.

For her part, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimi said during the press conference, that the UAE is one of the main supporters of the United Nations plans for the humanitarian response to Yemen, the latest of which is the 2018 response plan.

She referred that UAE has provided $ 500 million to support this plan. As part of its efforts to alleviate the suffering of Yemeni civilians, it has provided more than $ 3.7 billion in assistance to Yemen since April 2018, targeting more than 13.8 million Yemenis, including 5.3 million children.

"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 of human desire to live well. After the Houthis' coup against the legitimacy of Yemen, the situation deteriorated in an unprecedented manner."

She added that: "The unprecedented humanitarian situation in Yemen, which resulted in the Houthi practices that have long exploited the Yemeni people and their suffering to achieve political goals, requires us to take a serious stand to stop these practices and to help the Yemeni people in this ordeal."

"Our concern to alleviate the human suffering in Yemen is not limited to the legitimate areas, but all parts of Yemen, including the areas under the control of the Houthi coup. In order to help and save the people regardless of any gender, race, religion or political positions. "

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

She said that the assistance provided by the UAE was not limited to relief but included various aspects of improving the humanitarian situation, strengthening infrastructure and services, revitalizing the economy, and supporting security and other fields.

"We have seen the impact of marked improvements in Aden, Mukalla and the Makha after the coalition forces intervened in these areas and freed them from the messes of the Huthis and the terrorists," she said.

"The Arab alliance under the leadership of Saudi Arabia stands with the Yemeni people, heart and mold. We feel their suffering. We will never delay a helping hand to our Yemeni brothers to lift all forms of injustice against them until the land of Yemen returns as it was,"  the UAE minister concluded.