The military coalition led by Saudi Arabia said yesterday it would commit $1.5 billion in new humanitarian aid for Yemen, where it is supporting the internationally recognised government against Houthi rebels in a three-year-old civil war.
The US-backed alliance, which includes Bahrain and the UAE, said it had already completed the first aid flight of a new air bridge to the central city of Marib and had set up 17 overland corridors for aid shipments.
It also plans to install four cranes in three southern ports held by the government to boost the flow of imports, coalition officials told a news conference in Riyadh after a meeting of the foreign ministers of the coalition countries.
“We are backing a professionally planned and detailed humanitarian mission with military power and precision to guarantee that the humanitarian aid reaches the people who need it to lift their suffering,” said spokesman Col Turki Al Malki.
Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa took part in the meeting.
He thanked Saudi Arabia for hosting the meeting and the great role played by the kingdom under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, in strengthening the role of the Coalition for the Support of Legitimacy in Yemen and in providing humanitarian assistance and facilitating its access to the Yemeni people.
He expressed appreciation for depositing $2bn in the Central Bank of Yemen to enhance the financial and economic situation in Yemen.
He affirmed the keenness of His Majesty King Hamad to continue to provide various humanitarian and relief assistance to the Yemeni people.
The Foreign Ministers of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt met on the sidelines of the meeting of the coalition members. They discussed the Qatar crisis and reviewed the latest developments and joint co-ordination to achieve regional and international peace and security.