Saudi Arabia and UAE giving UN 1 billion U.S. dollars in Yemen aid: UN

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 15 — Saudi Arabia and the United Arab
Emirates (UAE) have agreed with the United Nations on the technical aspects
of transferring one billion U.S. dollars in aid for war-wracked Yemen, the
chief UN spokesman said on Tuesday.

Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, said 930 million U.S. dollars of the
funds for the United Nations to use solely for humanitarian aid in support
of its 2018 Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan (YHRP), “without regard for
other considerations. An additional 70 million U.S. dollars will be
provided by the two countries to support port rehabilitation and
infrastructure in Yemen.” The funds are to be received by March 31,
Dujarric said, referring to a statement by Undersecretary-General Mark
Lowcock, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator. They represent almost one third
of the 2.96 billion dollars required under the YHRP. Once converted, the
pledge will reduce hunger, contain disease, maintain essential health,
water and education services and relieve the suffering of millions of
Yemenis across the country, the relief coordinator said in a statement on
Monday.

Lowcock said Saudi Arabia and the UAE also pledged to raise an additional
500 million dollars from other donors in the region. “If fully funded, the
United Nations and its partners will provide, among other assistance,
emergency food to more than 8.5 million Yemenis, nutritional services to
5.6 million children, pregnant women and mothers, and safe water to 5.4
million people,” the relief coordinator said. “The UN and its partners
will also rehabilitate more than 1,400 schools and 650 health facilities
destroyed by the ongoing conflict,” he said. Lowcock thanked Saudi Arabia
and the UAE for “this generous and much needed infusion of funds.” “I hope
this generosity will encourage more donors to contribute to the YHRP,
including ahead of the international pledging conference on Yemen to be
held in Geneva on April 3,” he said. “The humanitarian situation in Yemen
continues to deteriorate because of ongoing conflict, collapsing basic
services and economic decline,” he said. “A record 22.2 million people are
now in need of humanitarian assistance — 3.4 million more than last
year.” The emergency relief coordinator reiterated the frequent call by
humanitarian workers for “rapid, safe and unfettered humanitarian access to
Yemen.” Saudi Arabia is leading a coalition force defending the
internationally recognized Yemeni government against Houthi rebels
allegedly supported by Iran. – XINHUA