UN chief praises Saudi Arabia for its humanitarian aid to Yemen and for calling truce

In call with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Antonio Guterres also lauded kingdom's leadership of G20 amid pandemic

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday. AFP

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday praised Saudi Arabia's provision of $500 million in humanitarian aid to Yemen, in a call with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Mr Guterres expressed his thanks to the kingdom for adhering to the truce in Yemen that came into effect on April 9, the Saudi press agency reported.

Prince Mohammed reaffirmed his country’s commitment to improving the security and stability of the Yemeni people and of the region.

Mr Guterres also praised Saudi Arabia’s efforts in leading the G20 and the initiatives it presented for international efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier, financial policymakers from the G20 economies agreed to suspend debt repayments from the world's poorest countries, so they could to dedicate the money to fight the coronavirus.

The G20 move is part of efforts to support the global economy during the pandemic and ensure financial stability.

The group has already poured more than $7 trillion (Dh25.71tn) into the global economy to support businesses and stem job losses as Covid-19 continues to spread.

The UN last month called for a separate $2.5tn package from the G20 to help developing economies cope with the pandemic.

Covid-19 has infected more than 2 million people globally and killed about 134,000, according to the Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking its spread.