Attachments
RIYADH / 6 Jumada II 1439H (22 February 2018) – One month has passed since the Saudi-led Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen announced the launch of the Yemen Comprehensive Humanitarian Operations (YCHO), an expanded relief program committing billions of dollars in aid and support for Yemen. The achievements of the YCHO in this short time are already manifest.
The Coalition has taken several measures to facilitate aid flows to Yemen under the YCHO, including:
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Opening the land crossings at AlKhadra, AlTuwal and AlWadea;
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Opening an air bridge from Riyadh to Ma’rib for the transportation of medical, food and shelter aid to reach Yemenis all over Yemen, hosting 20 flights to date; and
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Conducting on-site surveys in Aden aimed at expanding the capacities of Yemeni ports.
Exemplifying the immediate effects of the opening of the AlWadea land port by the Coalition are:
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the delivery of 4 trucks of medical aid from the International Committee of the Red Cross;
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the delivery of 180,000 litres of fuel in 5 tankers to Ma’rib, Yemen, for distribution to local communities, as acknowledged in a January 25th statement by the UN Secretary General; and
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a convoy of 69 trucks carrying over 1,200 tons of food and shelter aid from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid & Relief Centre (KSrelief), for distribution to several provinces inside Yemen.
The opening of 22 entry points (10 sea, 7 land and 5 air) under the YCHO plan, along with the opening of Ma'rib airport, will enhance humanitarian activities and support the work of the NGOs and INGOs operating in Yemen to increase the number of beneficiaries in all Yemeni cities and governorates.
In the past month, several agreements have been signed for the following long-term YCHO projects:
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Reconstruction of a north-south road connecting the port of Aden to Yemen’s interior (Jan. 24);
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Delivery of 4 cranes to the ports of Mokha (2), Aden (1) and Mukalla (1) (Feb. 5);
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Eradication of cholera in Yemen, in a partnership between KSrelief and the World Health Organization (Feb. 13);
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Health sector support, partnering KSrelief with 5 hospitals and foundations (Feb. 20); and
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Child soldier rehabilitation, in a partnership between KSrelief and Wethaq Foundation (Feb. 20).
The Coalition has issued more than 18,000 aid entry clearances since the start of Operation Decisive Storm and Operation Decisive Hope in 2015, smoothing the progress of 178 aid deliveries by land, air and sea since January 22nd. To date, aid delivered under the YCHO has reached over 835,000 people across Yemen. The Coalition notes with gratitude the work of UN and international non-governmental organizations operating in all Yemeni regions. This work has benefited millions, and the Saudi-led Coalition deeply appreciates the efforts of this unprecedented multilateral initiative to relieve the suffering of the Yemeni people.
H.E. Mohammed Saeed Al Jabir, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Yemen and Executive Director of the YCHO Support Center, said,
“I am immensely proud of this programme and what it has already accomplished to ensure that aid in Yemen reaches those who need it most. It remains the right thing to do for Yemen, both in the short and long term. Our efforts face serious obstacles on the ground, but we will not be deterred, either by these challenges or by the rapidly changing operational landscape. And this is just the start. I look forward to ensuring that the pace of humanitarian assistance to Yemen only increases.”
The Saudi-led Coalition, in partnership with UN agencies, continues to prioritize the welfare of the Yemeni people in its efforts to restore peace and stability to Yemen. The YCHO reinforces the Coalition’s commitment to bringing needed food, medicine, shelter aid and fuel supplies to the people of Yemen in all regions.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
For more detailed information, please visit: https://yemenplan.org
For media contact:
Email: press@ycho.org (mailto:yemenhumanitarianoperation@gmail.compress@ycho.org)
Twitter: @ychoperations