UAE number one in providing humanitarian aid to Yemen
As the Saudi-led Arab coalition's Operation Restoring Hope effectively worked hard to bring political stability to Yemen, the UAE, a major partner in the coalition, has been in the lead to ensure financial stability among those suffer in the country, by providing humanitarian aid to the suffering people.
The efforts exerted by the UAE to reconstruct Yemen made the UN rate the UAE as number one worldwide in terms of offering relief to Yemen.
The total assistance provided to Yemen, between April 2015 and March 2017, within the framework of the UAE's efficient humanitarian and development role and its rebuilding projects to support the Yemeni people, amounted to Dh7.3 billion (US$2 billion).
The assistance aims to reduce the suffering of the Yemenis and is in compliance with the UAE's humanitarian and development approach and its desire to establish development, security and stability in the country.
When the UN appealed the world to raise fund of about $2.1 billion to provide food and necessary relief materials, the UAE was a frontrunner to give helping hand to its sisterly country.
The UAE assistance included humanitarian, development and charity assistance, and urgent humanitarian assistance reaching Dh1.97 billion ($536million), representing 26.9 per cent of the total assistance to Yemen during the stated period.
Its humanitarian assistance included food aid totalling 172,000 tonnes and more than 111 tonnes of medication and medical supplies, as well as the provision of ambulances and medical devices, while 235.8 tonnes of food were sent on a daily basis.
The UAE's development assistance to Yemen, during this period, reached Dh5.3 billion ($1.45 billion), while its foreign development assistance, which was distributed to several sectors, reached Dh985.58 million ($268.33 million) in support of the power generation sector. The operational costs of generating electricity and providing electricity supply services were also covered. Diesel and fuel generators were supplied to the governorates of Aden, Abyan, Hadramout, Marib and Mahra.
The UAE also built power plants in Aden, in addition to providing spare parts and covering maintenance costs and provided a new batch of spare parts and filters for the electricity sector, as part of its efforts to solve the power outage problem in Mukalla.
The Emirates Red Crescent has recently established a water generator project, powered by solar energy, in Al Aik region of Al Reeda and Qusayr in the coast of Hadramout.
As part of its efforts to support the Yemeni public budget, funds amounting to Dh2.63 billion ($715.47 million), equivalent to 36 per cent of the UAE's assistance were provided, to cover the most important budget items that relate to the payment of salaries of government employees.
The UAE also provided Dh534.80 million ($145.60 million) to support the Yemeni transport sector by providing civil transport vehicles, and water and fuel transport vehicles in Aden, Marib, Hadramaut, Al-Mahra and Socotra Island. The UAE also reconstructed Aden airport and Socotra Island port.
