UAE provided over US$4 billion in assistance to Yemen in less than 4 years

by Yaqoub Ali ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 21st Sep, 2018) The UAE's total assistance to Yemen has reached AED14.79 billion (US$4.03 billion) during the period from April 2015 to September 2018. The aid was provided to meet the basic needs of more than 16.7 million Yemenis, including 10.1 million children and 3.4 million women.

During 2018, the UAE assistance amounted to US$1.24 billion, part of which around US$465 million were allocated to support the United Nations Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan, YHRP.

The humanitarian aid covered public programmes, power generation and supply, transport and storage, budget support, development of civil society, judicial and legal sectors, health, education, construction and social services in addition to water, health and public welfare.

Around AED6.323 billion (US$1.7 billion) were allocated to support general programmes. The UAE government provided assistance to support Yemen's public budget, especially the payment of salaries of government employees in order to ensure that all government bodies particularly those related to health, education, and security, continue to provide services to a large number of people. Similarly commodity assistance reached AED3.8 billion (US$1.03 billion).

AED1.72 billion (US$467.3 million) were provided to support the power generation and supply sector. The UAE has borne the operational costs of generating electricity, providing power supply services, rebuilding and maintaining power stations, as well as providing fuel for power plants and generators to enable the production of energy needed to operate hospitals, schools and public buildings across Yemen.

A total of AED845 million (US$230.1 million) were allocated to support the health sector, which contributed to reducing the shortage of health services, medicines, and medical supplies. The UAE has also built and re-equipped health infrastructure throughout Yemen. This included the reconstruction and maintenance of dozens of hospitals and clinics across various liberated governorates.

The UAE provided AED599.

4 million (US$163.2 million) to support the government and civil society (judicial and legal sector's development). It has also supported the transport and storage sector by contributing AED575 million (US$156.5 million) and the social services sector with AED517.3 million (US$140.8 million).

AED146.9 million (US$40 million) were given to the education sector, while the construction and civil development sector received AED120 million (US$33 million), and AED125 million (US$34 million) to support water and sanitation sector, and ensures access to clean drinking water.

The telecommunications sector received AED20 million (US$5 million), while AED5 million were allocated to various activities and sectors that contributed to improving the living conditions of Yemeni people and alleviating their suffering as a result of the Houthi militias brutal attacks.

From 20th June to 20th September, 2018, the value of UAE's foreign aid to the Yemeni Governorate of Hodeidah amounted to AED312 million (US$84.9 million), where more than 60,000 food baskets were provided in 45 districts and benefited around 500,000 people. In Hodeidah 23 water stations and reservoirs were built to supply water and the sector was supported through 28 vital projects.

The UAE also built a number of bakeries, among them first four were launched in Al Khawkhah District, Yemen, to provide free bread.

In support of the health sector in Hodeidah, Al Khawkhah Hospital, Ad Durayhimi Hospital and At Tuhayta Hospital were rehabilitated, and mobile medical clinics were provided to a number of areas in the governorate. The fishermen's ports were rehabilitated to normalise life in liberated areas and the first port has opened in Al Khawkhah District. In the educational sector, 14 schools in the Red Sea Coast were given school supplies and solar power.

The health centre in Al Khawkhah was rehabilitated and re-equipped with medical supplies, among other centres and hospitals. Similarly the electricity network, generators and electricity lines in Mocha, Yemen, were also restored.