Abu Dhabi: The Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) will build a residential city on Yemen’s Socotra Island that contain 220 houses for people affected by the cyclones that hit the area in 2015.
The foundation stone for the residential city, which will contain health care, education and service facilities, was laid on Wednesday.
The project is being undertaken by ERC as per the directives of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Shaikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region and President of ERC.
Dr Mohammad Atiq Al Falahi, Secretary-General of ERC, stressed that the project is a progressive step and qualitative shift in the ERC’s development efforts in Socotra Island’s Al Arkhabeel governorate.
Salem Abdullah Al Socatri, Governor of Al Arkhabeel, said the ERC’s response to the humanitarian situation in Socotra exceeded all expectations. He pointed out that the ERC’s efforts are effective and making a difference in the process of restoring normality following the recent cyclone that hit the island.
Meanwhile, a delegation from ERC, alongside the governor of Al Arkhabeel, distributed humanitarian and food aid on Socotra Island. The delegation met with a number of families and enquired about their future needs. The ERC delegation also provided boats for fishermen, allowing them to resume their fishing activities after their boats were destroyed by high tides caused by the cyclone.
The ERC is currently carrying out renovation works on the island’s fish market, which was damaged by the cyclone. It will also be building a breakwater to limit damage that can be caused by cyclones that occasionally hit Al Arkhabeel.
An ERC plane loaded with large amounts of food parcels had also recently arrived in Socotra Island in order to aid people affected by the tropical cyclone.
