RIYADH — The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has signed a joint agreement worth $12 million with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to support the humanitarian response plan in Yemen. The agreement was signed by General Supervisor of KSrelief Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, who is also an adviser at the Royal Court, the OCHA was represented by the UN undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and the coordinator for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief, Mark Lowcock. The agreement, which was executed via video communication, aims to coordinate efforts to enhance unimpeded access to humanitarian aid. Commenting on the development, Al-Rabeeah said the agreement is part of Saudi Arabia's Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan worth S500 million under the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman. Al-Rabeeah lauded Saudi Arabia's pioneering role in support of Yemeni people without exception, stressing the importance of the United Nations and the international community to ensure that aid reaches its beneficiaries in all regions of Yemen and that the abuses carried out by the Houthi militia toward humanitarian work and its workers during the past year and the years preceding it are not repeated. KSRelief chief also called on the United Nations and international bodies to urgently maintain the "Safer" oil tanker to prevent a major environmental catastrophe due to the intransigence of the Houthi militia. Al-Rabeeah explained the importance of direct dialogue between the United Nations, humanitarian organizations, donor countries and bodies, and increasing the level of trust and transparency to ensure the integration of efforts, stressing the Kingdom's keenness, represented by KSrelief, to strengthen partnership with the United Nations and its various agencies and organizations. On his part, Mark Lowcock expressed thanks and gratitude to Saudi Arabia, represented by KSrelief, for carrying out the humanitarian work in general and for their generous and continuous support to the OCHA in Yemen. Lowcock also said that in 2018 and 2019, Saudi aid contributed to saving the lives of many people in Yemen, noting that this confirms the Kingdom's keenness to help the Yemeni people and alleviate their human suffering caused by the current crisis, He added that the Saudi grant will contribute to enhancing food security and providing medical aid, shelter, and other aid for millions of needy people in Yemen.
