Latif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, expressed his thanks to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for hosting this important meeting in Riyadh, stressing that the King's wise leadership has the greatest credit in the success of GCC initiative that has contributed to stop bloodshed in Yemen and enable it to restore its security and stability. He also expressed his thanks to and appreciation of the Vice Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, for his support for the GCC initiative and its mechanisms of implementation. Dr. Al-Zayani congratulated Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the success of surgery which he has undergone and his recovery, wishing him constant good health. He reviewed the efforts made by the GCC States to support Yemen since the Donors Conference held in London in November 2006, noting that the GCC States and their regional funds have contributed to about 70% of the total financial pledges submitted to Yemen, adding that the GCC States provided Yemen with development and humanitarian emergency aid that exceeded $ 1 billion over the past year. Dr. Al-Zayani indicated that GCC States held extensive meetings with the competent authorities in Yemen after elections last February to discuss accelerating the disbursement of aid and implementation of development projects to support the program of the transition; and it was agreed to resume works in the programs and projects that stalled because of the crisis amounted to more than $ 600 million, in addition to the implementation of other development projects worth more than $ 750 million during the this year. --More
