UAE gives billions to aid people of Yemen

Money is being used to rebuild, develop and stabilise the country and continue Sheikh Zayed’s humanitarian legacy.

ABU DHABI // The UAE has provided Yemen with Dh4.34 billion in aid over the past 16 months as part of its efforts to lay the foundations for development, security, stability and peace in the country.

The aid was disbursed between April 2015 and July 2016 and, said Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, is part of the UAE’s humanitarian approach to helping the Yemeni people.

“The UAE was in the forefront of countries who hurried to send relief and assist Yemen to ride over the current crisis, support its stability and unity, and stand with its people by providing all forms of assistance needed to realise and fulfil the aspirations of Yemeni people for building, development and stability,” he said.

This is one of the basic pillars of the UAE’s foreign policy under the directives of the President, Sheikh Khalifa, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, as they continue the humanitarian legacy of the UAE’s Founding President Sheikh Zayed.

More than 160,000 tonnes of food and about 111,000 tonnes of medicine and medical supplies were sent to Yemen as well as ambulances and medical equipment.

About 135 tonnes of food and relief supplies were airlifted to help people affected by cyclones Chapala and Meg which hit the Yemeni island of Socotra and southern coasts of Yemen in November last year.

Yemen also received Dh2.85bn in development aid, of which Dh800 million was earmarked for the energy sector.

The Emirates bore the operational expenses of energy generation and supply, providing fuel and gas for power plants as well as generators.

It also contracted local companies to operate and maintain these facilities in a number of governorates including Aden.

Five power stations were built, including two in Aden. The UAE also supplied diesel, fuel and gas for power stations, hospitals, schools and public institutions in a number of other regions.

The UAE’s assistance also covered areas including transport and storage, government and civil society, health, education, infrastructure development, social services, water and sanitation, religious and social charitable assistance and industry.

About Dh466m was spent on equipment and vehicles to transport water and fuel to Aden, Marib and other areas. Air and seaports in Aden and Socotra were rebuilt while Dh210m was channelled into the health sector, particularly in reconstruction.

The UAE renovated 17 clinics including nine in Hadramaut, Marib, Mahrah and Taez as well as an artificial limb services centre, a kidney dialysis unit, a maternity centre, two centres for people with special needs and a mobile clinic.

It also funded the reconstruction of Al Joumhouria Hospital in Aden and provided medical equipment.

Dh160m was allocated to education to provide stationery, supplies and bags. Two-hundred-and-twelve schools, including 144 in Aden, were rebuilt and renovated in different governorates, while 32 schools were renovated in Socotra.

Sewerage networks in Aden and the Sheikh Othman Directorate were also repaired and upgraded and work has also commenced on the Sheikha Fatima project to build 150 small irrigation ditches as well as renovating three water stations.

The UAE also provided training for police officers, delivered vehicles to local police forces and coast guards, renovated 17 police stations and Aden central jail, and provided firefighting equipment to the civil defence.

To help return life back to normal for families, Aden’s corniche and eight parks in the city were rebuilt and upgraded while other smaller projects, such as rebuilding shops, were also launched.