ABU DHABI- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, MoFAIC, has revealed the value of UAE foreign aid to Yemen during the period April 2015 to November 2017, amounting to AED9.4 billion, or US$2.56 billion.

In a report, MoFAIC said that the humanitarian aid covered a number of vital sectors, reflecting the UAEs keenness to reduce the suffering of the Yemenis and is in compliance with the nations humanitarian and development policy and its desire to establish growth, security and stability in Yemen.

The UAE has consistently been the first country to respond to urgent appeals made by authorities in liberated areas of Yemen. According to the ministry report, support for development programmes received the most significant share of aid, amounting to AED4.37 billion, followed by food aid with AED1.6 billion. Accordingly, developing utility infrastructure reached AED1.5 billion.

Yemens health sector also received over AED610 million in development aid assistance, indicative of the considerable attention paid by the UAE to support the refurbishment of hospitals and clinics, following their systematic destruction by separatist forces in Yemen.

The nation has been able to re-construct, re-furbish and open a number of hospitals and medical centres in the various liberated governorates of Yemen, providing them with the latest medical equipment to meet the healthcare needs of the Yemeni people. The UAE also played a prominent role in delivering critical medicinal supplies to combat epidemics in Yemens governorates.

MoFAIC went on to detail the transport sector in Yemen as receiving over AED480 million in aid, followed by the governance and civil society sector receiving AED466 million, while the education sector received approximately AED127 million in development aid.

Aid to ensure infrastructure development totalled AED125 million within the 2.5 year period, while water and public health received AED57 million, in addition to AED20 million in assistance across other sectors.

The UAE has also made significant efforts in the reconstruction of liberated areas in Yemen, providing generous support to development projects that helped revive basic infrastructure. It also played a leading role in the restoration and rehabilitation of police stations and civil defence centres in Aden, giving them all necessary equipment to maintain safety and security.



Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2017.