Saudi officials highlight Yemen aid efforts at UN

WASHINGTON: Senior Saudi officials took part in several events at the UN headquarters in New York City on Monday, in order to highlight the Kingdom’s efforts to alleviate Yemen’s humanitarian crisis and bring stability to the country.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, adviser at the Royal Court and supervisor general of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief), briefed an informal meeting of the UN Security Council (UNSC) on the center’s activities in Yemen.
In a press conference following the briefing, Al-Rabeeah said: “Saudi Arabia spent over the last two years, in respect to aid and support for development, the central bank and refugees in Yemen, $8.27 billion… KSRelief has executed so far 153 projects worth $650 million.”
He added that the center operates in all regions of Yemen, including those under rebel control, and that it makes no distinction between aid recipients.
The Saudi ambassador to the UN, Abdullah Al-Mouallimi, chaired a seminar titled “Partners for a sustainable peace in Yemen.”
Participants and attendants included Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Jaber, Yemeni Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dr. Abdulmalek Al-Makhlafi, Yemen’s Ambassador to the UN Khalid Yamani, its Ambassador to the US Ahmed bin Mubarak, and the UN special envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed.
Relations between the Kingdom and Yemen were the focus of Al-Mouallimi’s remarks during the first session of the seminar.
He provided an overview of the history of bilateral relations, including the fact that Saudi Arabia has been the biggest provider of economic aid to Yemen over the past 30 years.
He stressed the importance of reaching a political solution in Yemen based on the Gulf initiative, the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference and UNSC resolution 2216.