Saudi Completion of UN Pledge a Reflection of Kingdom's Keenness to Alleviate Suffering in Yemen: Ambassador Al Jabir

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Sept. 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed bin Saeed Al Jabir affirmed Saudi Foreign Minister Dr. Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz Al-Assaf's announcement in connection with the 2019 Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan (YHRP) donor conferences, which are taking place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting this week.

The announcement, on completion of the Kingdom's $500 million pledge earlier this year, is motivated by Saudi Arabia's commitment and concern to do all it can to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people, the Saudi envoy said. This included, but was not limited to, improving the humanitarian situation by supporting the UN in rendering assistance through its relief workers.

Ambassador Al Jabir explained that the current payment supplemented the joint Saudi-Emirati "Imdad" initiative to strengthen food security and nutrition in Yemen with $500 million for the UN, announced in early 2019, as well as the $70 million provided jointly by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to pay teachers' salaries in Yemen in cooperation with UNICEF.

All of this Saudi aid, noted Al Jabir, represented an extension of the Kingdom's ongoing efforts to support the Yemeni people and improve living standards through the projects and initiatives of the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY). SDRPY projects improve essential services and economic opportunities in Yemen in numerous sectors, including education, health, agriculture and fisheries, electricity, water, transportation, and residential and government building construction.

The ambassador added that the Kingdom had provided $2.2 billion to the Central Bank of Yemen (CBY) since the beginning of 2018, reinforcing the exchange rate of the Yemeni rial. This financial assistance to the CBY has covered letters of credit for Yemeni traders, sustaining imports of six basic foodstuff commodities and exceeding $1.3 billion so far.

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