Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia is the largest donor of humanitarian aid to Yemen worth more than 17.3 billion, including $3.5 billion that was provided through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), said Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, who is an adviser at the royal court and supervisor general of KSrelief.

Al-Rabeeah made the remarks during his participation in the meeting organized virtually by the National Council on US-Arab Relations entitled "Humanitarian Challenges in Yemen" on Wednesday.

KSrelief chief stressed that Saudi Arabia is one of the largest donors of humanitarian aid around the world. The Kingdom through KSrelief is carrying 1,556 humanitarian projects covering 59 countries with a value exceeding $5 billion out of which 590 projects are being implemented in Yemen costing over $3.5 billion.

Dr. Al Rabeeah stressed that Saudi Arabia’s aid is provided without discrimination, exception or distinction due to race, color and religion, adding that KSrelief's programs being implemented in Yemen including the governorates that are still under the terrorist Houthi militia.”

Addressing the participants of the meeting, Dr. Al Rabeeah said: “We meet today amid difficult conditions that the world is facing as a result of COVID-19 pandemic and its economic, health and political challenges, in addition to the difficult humanitarian and health conditions that the Yemeni people are facing which are caused by the Iran-backed Houthi militia.”

“The militia also disregards humanitarian conditions that threaten all segments of Yemeni people and seeks to loot the humanitarian aid that the Yemenis receives from donor countries and uses this aid for their military activities, depriving the Yemeni people of the most basic rights of a decent human life,” he added.

Dr. Al Rabeeah pointed out that the Houthis' violations of humanitarian work in Yemen crossing all limits. He said that the militia is using anti-aircraft weapons in neighborhoods and civilian sites, planting mines in neighborhoods, forcibly recruiting children, seizing aid ships and humanitarian convoys intimidating humanitarian field workers, as well as bombing hospitals, schools, refugee camps and other civilian facilities.

KSrelief chief pointed out that the militia is planting hundreds of thousands of anti-personnel mines in densely populated places, city entrances and exits, villages and farms.

Saudi Arabia, represented by KSrelief, has initiated a number of programs to address this challenge, including the Saudi Project for Mine Clearance in Yemen (Masam), which has so far succeeded in removing 232,257 mines in Yemeni lands, in addition to the Artificial Limb Center (ALC) project and the rehabilitation program for children who were recruited by the Houthi militia and forced into the armed conflict.

Dr. Al Rabeeah added that one of the challenges surrounding humanitarian work in Yemen is to expand the scope of the crisis to include all Yemeni regions and countries neighboring Yemen, through restrictions being imposed by the Houthi militia on Yemenis and not enabling them to practice their lives normally, which forces Yemenis to flee to other regions in Yemen or seek refuge in other countries. He affirmed that Saudi Arabia has exerted great efforts to shelter more than 561,000 Yemeni refugees, enable them to get job opportunities and provide them with free health and education services.

Dr. Al Rabeeah called on United Nations organizations to stand up against these violations, stressing that Saudi Arabia is keen to end the crisis and support all peace initiatives put forward by the UN envoys to Yemen, affirming the Kingdom's support for every meaningful and constructive dialogue that supports peace efforts and adopts peaceful solutions in Yemen according to three references to ensure the return of peace, security and stability to Yemen.

Regarding combating children recruitment in fighting in Yemen, Dr. Al Rabeeah concluded by saying that KSrelief launched, in 2017, a project to rehabilitate children who have been recruited and affected by the armed conflict in Yemen, by integrating them into society, enrolling them in schools, preparing them psychologically and socially and preparing courses for them and their families in this regard, adding that the project has so far benefited 530 children and more than 60,000 parents.