Yemeni minister praises Saudi relief partnership

JEDDAH: Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, general supervisor of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief), held talks with Yemen’s Minister of Human Rights, Mohammed Askar, on Thursday on relief and humanitarian work provided by KSRelief in Yemen, with 274 projects now in place across the country.
During the meeting In Riyadh, the humanitarian and human rights situation in Yemen were also discussed, including violations committed by the Houthi militias against civilians, such as the bombing of water wells and residential neighborhoods, killing and injuring hundreds of civilians.
The recruitment of children for use as human shields was also condemned.
Al-Rabeeah said KSRelief is keen to cooperate with Yemen’s Ministry of Human Rights to ease the suffering of the Yemeni people and implement programs to support the most affected groups in the country.
“Our work is focused on programs to protect women and children, and rehabilitate children recruited by the Houthi militias.”
Al-Rabeeah said the humanitarian role of KSRelief proves that the Arab coalition is not only a military but also a humanitarian partnership that has been providing food, medicine and clothing to all Yemeni regions for more than three years.
Askar praised the relationship between KSRelief and the ministry, and said their joint programs will have a positive impact on the lives of Yemeni people.
In an earlier interview with Arab News, Askar said: “Iran has succeeded in turning the Houthis into a military tool that threatens international peace and security, especially in the navigational corridors of Yemen such as Bab Al-Mandab and adjoining waters.
“Iran has poured funds and arms in a fervent bid to expand their hegemony in the region. The Iranian intransigence has kept the war raging, which has shattered the lives of Yemenis,” he said.
On Thursday, Al-Rabeeah also met with Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki to discuss humanitarian affairs.
Al-Malki expressed his admiration for the center’s achievements and humanitarian and relief services, particularly its educational, health and housing projects being implemented in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtun and Balochistan in Pakistan.
KSRelief recently distributed 25 tons of food baskets in the villages of Al-Ja’ada, Al-Fayed, Deir and Bani Fadil of Midi and Hiran directorates in Hajjah governorate, helping 1,980 people.
BACKGROUND
Since its establishment, KSRelief has launched projects worth $70 million in Yemen. The projects aim to help the country amid devastation caused by the Houthi militia.
Earlier, Mohammed Al-Jabir, Saudi ambassador to Yemen, said that the Kingdom’s assistance to Yemen totaled about $10.96 billion.
A report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs last month showed Saudi Arabia topped donor states to the 2018 UN Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan by donating $530.4 million out of a total of $1.54 billion.
About 2 million Yemenis working in the Kingdom send more than $10 million in remittances to their families in Yemen.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Major General Ahmed Al-Shahri, met on Thursday with his Yemeni counterpart, General Taher Al-Aqeeli, in Marib to discuss military developments and the advances of the Yemeni National Army, with the support of the Arab coalition, against the Houthis.
Major General Al-Aqeeli assured that the Arab coalition, led by Saudi Arabia, would continue to support the Yemeni people and its armed forces in battling the militia.
During the meeting, they discussed the mechanisms of cooperation and means of enhancing them.
The two commanders then visited the fighting fronts of the seventh military zone in Nham, east of Sanaa.
Maj. Gen. Al-Shahri conveyed the blessings of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Commander of the Joint Forces, on the great victories achieved by the Yemeni National Army in Saada, Hajja, Al-Bayda and on various fronts.