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Tribal fighters loyal to the Yemeni government stand by a tank in al-Faza area near Hodeida, Yemen June 1, 2018. Image Credit: REUTERS

Abu Dhabi: Reem Ebrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation, has said the Arab coalition has prepared a large-scale and comprehensive plan for the rapid delivery of humanitarian aid to the governorate of Hodeida, and surrounding areas.

The minister said food and essential supplies have been stocked and prepared for immediate delivery. “We have ships, planes, and trucks with food supplies and medicine to address the immediate needs of the people,” she said.

Al Hashemi added, “Hodeida port remains open to shipping. Should Al Houthis attempt to further damage and destroy any port or logistics infrastructure, we have also put contingency plans in place to move aid by other methods to Hodeida and points beyond. On top of the $14 billion the coalition has already given in aid to Yemen, we continue to work with aid agencies on the ground to ensure that once the port is liberated, we will quickly increase the capacity of the port and the amount of aid flowing through it.”

“The coalition successfully implemented similar large-scale operations when it liberated Aden, Mukalla and Mokha, which led to considerable improvement in people’s lives. In each area the coalition has liberated, the local people are now better off than under Al Houthi or Al Qaida control,” she added.