ERC launches humanitarian campaign to help people of Yemen

On the directives of His Highness President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and instructions of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and follow-up of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in the Western Region, and Chairman of the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), the ERC will launch on Sunday, 30th August, a major humanitarian campaign to help about 10 million people affected by the unfolding crisis in Yemen.

Themed "Yemen: We care", the one-month long campaign aims to mobilise support for the ERC programmes and projects with the aim of easing the suffering of those caught up in Yemen's conflict.

The UAE President's move promotes the humanitarian role being played by the UAE to ease the suffering of people in Yemen through the provision of their needs and basic requirements. The gesture also shows greater solidarity with those affected by the conflict, and draws attention to the difficulties they face, which requires acceleration in the restoration of normalcy to Yemen.

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in the Western Region and Chairman of the ERC, stressed that the UAE leadership and people are concerned about the current humanitarian situation in Yemen. He added that this concern reflects the strength of fraternal relations between the two brotherly peoples of the UAE and Yemen.

"The suffering of our people in Yemen compounds daily with eminent threat of a real catastrophe," he said.

Sheikh Hamdan noted that these circumstances require concerted regional and international humanitarian efforts to curb the suffering of those affected and improvement in their condition, as well as drawing attention to the critical situation.

In a statement on the occasion of launching the campaign, he said, "The UAE, led by President Khalifa realised early that the size of the impending catastrophe would affect millions of Yemenis. Hence, the directives of the UAE President were supportive of the assistance programmes being implemented by the UAE in Yemen since the outbreak of the conflict."

Sheikh Hamdan said the ERC is following closely the repercussions of the humanitarian situation in Yemen through constant communication with its delegations in the field to assist all the categories. He added that the ERC has been there since 1990s in Yemen whether through conflicts or natural disasters to extend its helping hand.

He stressed that the ERC will spare no effort in strengthening its leading role in the Yemeni arena, and will carry out its humanitarian responsibility towards the affected people there.

Sheikh Hamdan called on all sectors of society in the UAE to support the ERC's humanitarian relief programmes and operations to help those affected. He appealed to Emirati and resident philanthropists to support the humanitarian activities to assist the people of Yemen.

He noted that the ERC was prepared to implement the directives of the leadership, launch fund-raising activities nationwide, and mobilise human resources and volunteer staff to promote the campaign and show greater solidarity with their brothers in Yemen. The ERC has placed its delegates at 200 sites, especially at the commercial malls, banks, cooperative societies, offices and others, across the UAE to receive donations.

Sheikh Hamdan said the ERC is co-ordinating with its humanitarian partners in the UAE to include all categories in the campaign activities so as to achieve its objectives and meet the requirements of the people of Yemen.