NEW YORK: Saudi Arabia said on Thursday it was installing four cranes at three ports in Yemen to help boost humanitarian aid deliveries and was ready to assist with installing cranes at the key port of Hodeidah once it was under control of a neutral party.
The Saudi mission at the UN said in a statement that the cranes were being installed at the ports of Aden, Mukalla and Al-Mokha — which are all under the control of a Saudi-led military coalition fighting in Yemen.
The coalition has said it is determined to help Yemen’s government retake all areas of the country held by Houthi militias, including Hodeidah port, and would ensure alternative entry routes for badly needed food and medicine.
The UN has worked to avert attacks on Hodeidah, a vital Red Sea aid delivery point for millions of Yemenis in danger of slipping into famine. Around 80 percent of Yemen’s food imports arrive via Hodeidah.
“Saudi Arabia is deeply concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian situation,” it said. “We have always supported every effort to ensure that the people of Yemen receive the aid and relief they require especially in times of crisis.”
The coalition began an air campaign in March 2015 to help defeat the Iran-allied Houthi rebels.
The coalition has accused the Houthis of using the port to smuggle weapons and ammunition and has called for UN monitors to be posted there.
The UN has proposed that Hodeidah be handed to a neutral party to smooth the flow of humanitarian relief and prevent the port being engulfed by Yemen’s two-year-old war.
“The coalition... reaffirms its readiness to facilitate the immediate installation of cranes at the port of Hodeidah, in line with the secretary-general’s special envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed latest proposals,” the Saudi statement said.
The UN Security Council urged the warring parties in Yemen in June to reach a UN-brokered deal on management of Hodeidah and resumption of government salary payments as the country slides closer to famine.
Top UN officials last month accused the parties fighting in Yemen and their international allies of fueling an unprecedented deadly cholera outbreak, driving millions closer to famine and hindering humanitarian aid access.
Saudi Arabia installing cranes at Yemen ports to boost aid delivery
Saudi Arabia installing cranes at Yemen ports to boost aid delivery
UAE affirms respect for Saudi sovereignty, rejects threats to regional security
- Abu Dhabi emphasized its commitment to maintaining close coordination with Riyadh on all matters of mutual concern
DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to Saudi Arabia’s security and sovereignty on Tuesday, rejecting any actions that could threaten the Kingdom or undermine regional stability.
In a statement issued in response to recent remarks by Saudi Arabia regarding developments in Yemen, the UAE stressed that it fully respects Saudi Arabia’s national security and considers the fraternal and historical ties between the two countries a cornerstone of regional stability.
Abu Dhabi emphasized its commitment to maintaining close coordination with Riyadh on all matters of mutual concern.
The UAE said its position since the start of events in Yemen’s eastern governorates of Hadramawt and Al-Mahra has been focused on containing tensions, supporting de-escalation, and working toward understandings that preserve security, stability, and the protection of civilians, in coordination with Saudi Arabia.
Abu Dhabi categorically rejected any attempt to implicate it in tensions between Yemeni factions, condemning allegations that it pressured or directed any party to carry out military operations that threaten Saudi Arabia’s security or target its borders.
The UAE also called for recent developments in eastern Yemen to be handled responsibly to prevent escalation, urging reliance on verified facts and coordination among all relevant parties to safeguard shared interests and maintain regional security and stability.
