UAE provides $207m of aid to Yemen

The United Arab Emirates has so far provided a total of $207m of aid to Yemen as the conflict in the country continues.

An estimated 21.1 million people in Yemen require humanitarian assistance, according to the UAE Ministry of International Cooperation and Development.

The UAE is contributing towards the recovery and rehabilitation of Aden and neighbouring governorates, focussing on electricity, food, health, water and sanitation, fuel, transportation and coordination and support.

Aid has been distributed in four phases across Aden, Lahj, Al Dalei, Abyan, Ma’rib, Shabwah, Hadramawt and Al Mahrah.

The ministry estimates that 20.4 million people in Yemen are in need of water and sanitation assistance, 15.2 million in need of basic healthcare and 12.3 million are food-insecure.

An estimated 11.4 million people are in need of protection assistance and 2.9 million children are without access to education. There are also 1.5 million women and children in need of nutrition services and one million internally displaced people in the country.

The ministry, in its ‘UAE Situation Report on Yemen Crisis’ report, called for the United Nations and international organisations to return to Aden and neighbouring governorates.

The message came following the return of the Yemeni prime minister Khaled Bahah and seven ministers to the southern port city of Aden.

Electricity is being gradually restored in the city and schools are set to reopen after the Arab coalition, led by Saudi Arabia, pushed back the opposing Houthi rebels who are allied with former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.

“The improvement of the security situation has made the environment conducive for the market places and businesses to restore their operations. Part of the UAE assistance was locally purchased from the local market,” the ministry said.