UAE aid to Yemen surges to AED8.63 billion

The UAE has provided Yemen with AED8.63 billion – US$2.35 billion- in aid during the period from April 2015 through July 2017, AED2.37 billion of which is humanitarian assistance, as part of its efforts to lay the foundations for development, security, stability and peace in the country.

The aid amounted to AED1.39 billion during 2017, which is four times more than the $100 million pledged by the country during a donor conference held in Geneva in April.

Recently the UAE has informed the WHO it will additionally provide a total of AED36.7 million in medical aid to Yemen to be allocated to supporting the international organisation’s efforts in fighting the protracted cholera outbreak in the country as part of the UN's Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan.

The developmental aid accounted for 72.4 percent, or AED6.25 billion, of the total aid, and has been devoted to the rehabilitation process of many of the liberated Yemeni governorates. The UAE's comprehensive aid programme covered 13 primary sectors and 41 subsectors. It covered areas, including transport and storage, government and civil society, health, education, infrastructure development, social services, water and sanitation, religious and social charitable assistance and industry.

Supporting public developmental programmes featured high on the aid allocations, accounting for AED3.64 billion or 42.2 percent of the total assistance during the monitored period. This kind of aid covered support for the Yemeni general budget and payment of government salaries in order to ensure sustained provision of public services and meet the people’s basic needs, primarily in areas of health, education and security.

The UAE also provided AED1.57 billion worth of commodities , including food supplies during emergencies worth AED1.12 billion and relief aid for emergency humanitarian purposes worth AED424.8 million as well as AED29.2 million worth of sheltering and non-food supplies.

The Emirates also bore the operational expenses of energy generation and supply, providing fuel and gas for power plants as well as generators worth AED1.05 billion.

The health sector featured high as well on the aid programme, and Yemen received a total of AED603.1 million to make up for the shortage in medical supplies and reconstructing medical facilities.

The UAE was in the forefront as well among the countries which provided immediate assistance to fight the outbreak of cholera and launched awareness campaigns against the fatal diseases in several Yemeni governorates in collaboration with WHO, providing medical supplies worth AED10 million and facilitating the delivery of medications to the largest possible segments of the Yemeni society. UAE hospitals also received a large number of Yemenis wounded during the war, and the country sent some cases as well to India for treatment.

Social aid worth AED483 million was provided as well by the country, including sports, and cultural assistance for children in a number of Yemeni governorates and aid to families and people with special needs.

The above sectors accounted for 85.1 percent, or AED7.35 billion of the UAE total aid, with the remaining 14.9 percent disbursed over five more sectors, including government and civil society (judicial and legal development ) worth AED466 million, education worth AED129..7 million, construction and civil development worth AED124.9 million, and water and public health worth AED53.9 million along with other subsectors worth AED20.9 million.

UAE's aid to Yemen represents one of the basic pillars of the UAE’s foreign policy as part of its efforts to lay the foundations for development, security, stability and peace for the brotherly Yemeni people.

Source: Wam