Abu Dhabi: The UAE, along with Saudi Arabia and other members of the Arab coalition, has been fighting for the past three years, losing precious lives in the process, in a valiant effort to free the Yemeni people from the repression of the Al Houthi militia.
The UAE, a proud member of the international coalition led by Saudi Arabia, has lost scores of soldiers in the Yemen campaign — the largest number of martyrs in any single conflict the country has been involved in. These men are heroes who have laid down their lives to bring Yemen back on its feet. Despite these losses, UAE’s commitment to Yemen remains as strong as ever.
Operation Decisive Storm (and subsequently Operation Restoring Hope) came just three weeks after Yemen’s President, Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi, appealed to the leaders of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other GCC member countries for help in “protecting Yemen” by providing “instant support by all necessary means, including military intervention, to protect Yemen and its people from the continuous Al Houthi aggression”.
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, repeatedly told Yemeni officials and people the UAE will be with them until the mission is accomplished, pledging incessant military and humanitarian efforts to restore peace, security and stability to Yemen.
The UAE is also committed to alleviating the humanitarian situation in Yemen, providing Dh10 billion or more than $2.73 billion in aid to ease the suffering of the Yemeni people.
This aid has been allocated to establish sustainable projects in health, education, security and infrastructure.
The UAE has rebuilt 1,400 schools and 650 medical centres that had been destroyed by Al Houthi militias in addition to pledging Dh1.8 billion in response to the UN 2018 Plan on Yemen. The UAE will provide an additional Dh257 million to overhaul ports and airports in Yemen.
The UAE has set up an aid operation office in Yemen to liaise with international aid agencies working in the country to meet the needs of people living in the crisis-stricken areas.
