The war in Yemen has continued long enough to bring large parts of the population near to destitution and starvation as supplies of food, water and power are falling over large tracts of the country. The country needs all the help it can get, which is why the UAE’s efforts to support the people of Yemen, in addition to taking a leading role in liberating the country from Al Houthi rebels, are so important.
The UAE is the largest donor to Yemen in 2015, offering humanitarian aid worth Dh744 million over the past four months and it has covered food relief as well as emergency supplies of grains, edible oils, canned food, supply of badly-needed fuel to a wide variety of areas, as well as work on the country’s power supply, health care, water and sewage services.
In addition, the UAE has launched the ‘Yemen We Care’ programme to raise money and help about 10 million people affected by the relentless crisis caused by the conflict.
All this important work is being done alongside the substantial military support that the UAE has given the coalition to defeat Al Houthis. UAE forces played a major part in denying Aden to the advancing Al Houthis and large numbers of UAE troops were involved in recapturing territory north of Aden, forcing Al Houthis to retreat. This success left the UAE troops in the position of having to take over some of the tasks of the absent government, like running Aden airport, which now receives civilian and military flights. UAE armed forces have helped restore Aden’s power grids and rebuilt the city’s 18 police stations.
This mix of military action and civilian support is vital to defeat Al Houthis, stabilise the country and restore civil society to some kind of normality. Yemen will not be able to do this on its own and it needs the help of its neighbours, like the UAE is demonstrating.
