Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman along with Yemeni President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi (left) and Yemen's Vice President Khaled Bahah (right) attend the foundation stone laying ceremony for the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Work in Riyadh on Wednesday. — SPA Saudi Gazette report
RIYADH — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman doubled the Kingdom's aid commitment to Yemen to $540 million on Wednesday. “We announce that we are setting aside SR1 billion ($266 million) for aid and humanitarian operations... in addition to the more than SR1 billion ($274 million) we had already pledged,” the King said while laying the foundation stone for the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Work. On April 18, the Kingdom announced it would fund the entire $274 million sought by the United Nations in an appeal for emergency assistance to help Yemeni citizens. The King touched the electronic screen marking the laying of the foundation stone for the permanent headquarters of the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Work. “Following the teachings of our religion which recommends mitigating the suffering of the forlorn, helping the needy, caring for human life, dignity and well-being, and in continuation of the humanitarian role of the Kingdom, we hereby lay the foundation for the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Work,” King Salman said. “The Center will be dedicated to relief and humanitarian work and will be a leading international center to help relieve communities that suffer from disasters and ease their suffering to help them live a decent life. “Our goal and mission will be to work effectively to ensure that this Center is based only on humanitarian principles without any other motive and that it works in coordination with internationally approved relief organizations. “Out of our care for our brothers in Yemen and within the framework of the Operation Renewal of Hope, the Center will pay the utmost attention to the humanitarian and relief needs of the Yemeni people who are dear to our hearts,” the King said.
