UAE number one in providing humanitarian aid to Yemen

Abu Dhabi - The UAE is the number one worldwide in terms of offering relief to Yemen, according to the UN.

As the Saudi-led Arab coalition's Operation Restoring Hope effectively worked hard to bring political stability to Yemen, the UAE, a major partner in the coalition, has been in the lead to ensure financial stability among those suffer in the country, by providing humanitarian aid to the suffering people.
The efforts exerted by the UAE to reconstruct Yemen made the UN rate the UAE as number one worldwide in terms of offering relief to Yemen.
The total assistance provided to Yemen, between April 2015 and March 2017, within the framework of the UAE's efficient humanitarian and development role and its rebuilding projects to support the Yemeni people, amounted to Dh7.3 billion (US$2 billion).
The assistance aims to reduce the suffering of the Yemenis and is in compliance with the UAE's humanitarian and development approach and its desire to establish development, security and stability in the country.
When the UN appealed the world to raise fund of about $2.1 billion to provide food and necessary relief materials, the UAE was a frontrunner to give helping hand to its sisterly country.
The UAE assistance included humanitarian, development and charity assistance, and urgent humanitarian assistance reaching Dh1.97 billion ($536million), representing 26.9 per cent of the total assistance to Yemen during the stated period.
Its humanitarian assistance included food aid totalling 172,000 tonnes and more than 111 tonnes of medication and medical supplies, as well as the provision of ambulances and medical devices, while 235.8 tonnes of food were sent on a daily basis.
The UAE's development assistance to Yemen, during this period, reached Dh5.3 billion ($1.45 billion), while its foreign development assistance, which was distributed to several sectors, reached Dh985.58 million ($268.33 million) in support of the power generation sector. The operational costs of generating electricity and providing electricity supply services were also covered. Diesel and fuel generators were supplied to the governorates of Aden, Abyan, Hadramout, Marib and Mahra.
The UAE also built power plants in Aden, in addition to providing spare parts and covering maintenance costs and provided a new batch of spare parts and filters for the electricity sector, as part of its efforts to solve the power outage problem in Mukalla.
The Emirates Red Crescent has recently established a water generator project, powered by solar energy, in Al Aik region of Al Reeda and Qusayr in the coast of Hadramout.
As part of its efforts to support the Yemeni public budget, funds amounting to Dh2.63 billion ($715.47 million), equivalent to 36 per cent of the UAE's assistance were provided, to cover the most important budget items that relate to the payment of salaries of government employees.
The UAE also provided Dh534.80 million ($145.60 million) to support the Yemeni transport sector by providing civil transport vehicles, and water and fuel transport vehicles in Aden, Marib, Hadramaut, Al-Mahra and Socotra Island. The UAE also reconstructed Aden airport and Socotra Island port.
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For the children 
The UAE's aid targeted about 10 million Yemeni people, including four million children. It provided polio and measles vaccines to 488,000 children, including 130,000 infants under the age of one, and 358,000 children between the ages of one and five, in 11 Yemeni governorates.
In Aden's Al Buraiqa city, the largest park in the country, Al Shaab Park, was built for Yemeni children. This project was funded and supported by the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC).
The UAE had renovated 154 schools in Aden and conducted repairs for the schools damaged as a result of the war launched by the rebels. The aid also included providing 8,500 school class seats, and supplying 135 schools with 1,674 computers and 200 air conditioners. 
The UAE also contributed to renovate and repair 15 schools in Al Dhaleh governorate in the South Yemen.
The ERC took the lead in renovation of nine schools in Lahj governorate, while in Socotra governorate, it renovated 18 schools through its humanitarian agencies and supplied them with school buses.
Health sector 
The Emirates Red Crescent presented a great support to Yemen's health sector. The ERC helped restore the Republican Hospital, the largest and one of the most important health facilities in Aden. The hospital was also provided with five morgue refrigerators, latest medical and resuscitation equipment, emergency trolleys, Oxygen and sterilisation devices.
The ERC has also supported initiatives to improve the maternity and childhood services in Yemen.
The Red Crescent had pledged to maintain and rehabilitate 14 health institutions - five big hospitals and nine clinics in different parts of Aden governorate. The total cost of the project reached Dh48.5 million.
The ERC had allocated Dh4 million as first payment for the purchase of medicines for cancer patients and dialyses devices. Other allocated amounts include Dh5 million for purchase of ambulances and trucks to transport medicines.
In addition to this, many UAE hospitals received large number of wounded Yemeni patients.
Help to university students 
The UAE had helped renovate and reopen many universities, which were closed due to the ongoing attacks from the rebel Houthi groups. The university hostel for students of various in the universities of Aden was renovated, repaired and furnished as part of the UAE initiative.
The hostel consists of five main buildings along with their service facilities, spreading over an area of 59,467 square metres. It could accommodate a total of 1,500 students from the Yemeni governorates and neighboruing countries, including Djibouti and Somalia.
Projects also include renovation, servicing and furnishing of the students' dormitories in Shabwa governorate.
It also offered support to cultural activities through "Mother of the Emirates" Association sponsored rehabilitation of the National Library in Aden. 
Infrastructure development 
The UAE brought life back to critical facilities and vital establishments including Maasheeq presidential palace and Aden International Airport. The airport was totally destroyed by Houthi militia and rebels supporting former president Al Saleh.
The ERC took the lead in restoring Radio and TV facility in Mukalla of Hadramout governorate, following the heavy destruction of the building.
The UAE has earmarked $20 million to be invested in supporting and developing the SME sector, in a bid to back the Yemeni government's efforts to empower youths and boost the social, economical and political stability.
'Mother of the UAE' project includes construction of 50 dams in the directorate of Rasd to collect rain water and benefit from it year-round. It also launched a project to assist associations that help people with disabilities.
Power and water aid
The UAE has given top priority to restoring and strengthening power and water service in Yemen.
The UAE has handed over 50 generators to the governorate of Aden in addition to the supply of 14,000 metric tonnes of diesel. The diesel was designed to operate the power stations, and that was part of the loan offered by the Abu Dhabi Fund to the Yemeni government.
An emergency aid was provided to support the electricity sector in Hadramout province, which included oil and spare parts and filters required for electric generators. Abyan province was also supplied with generators that could generate 8MW of electricity.
The ERC, in the framework of its rescue programme, had installed 130 water coolers and 100 water tanks in Abyan governorate, while in Hadramout it dug five water wells.
A population of 210,000 will benefit from the project. The project coincided with other projects of digging new water wells at Foaa area west of Mukalla.
Renovation of the 150MW Al Makha power station was also completed by the UAE.
Yemen, We Care 
As part of the relief campaigns launched by the ERC, Yemen, We Care initiative was launched to stand by the needy people of the country. An aerial and marine relief bridge has been run to help the Yemeni people, by sending planes and ships loaded with relief materials to help those who are affected in the Yemen conflict.
 

• MENA