Saudi Arabia will host an international conference here Wednesday to discuss the economic and humanitarian situation in Yemen, as well as other challenges facing the impoverished country such as Al-Qaeda threats, the Houthi rebels and the political transition. The UN envoy to Yemen Jamal Benomar told Al Arabiya that the international community is concerned over what is happening in Yemen. He added that he will hold a ministerial-level meeting in Riyadh for the “Friends of Yemen” states to evaluate the political process in the country and the obstacles facing it. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation has formed a joint international humanitarian mission for Yemen, OIC Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Ambassador Atta Al-Mannan Bakhit said in Jeddah Tuesday. The mission is expected to include representatives from the Department of Humanitarian Affairs of the OIC, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the European Union, the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council. The mission, aimed at highlighting the humanitarian crisis faced by Yemen, is expected to arrive in Sana'a early next month. __
