UN OCHA praises UAE’s role in clearing mines in Yemen’s Red Sea Coast

ADEN, 31st July, 2018 (WAM) -- Saeed Al Kaabi, UAE Humanitarian Operations Director for Yemen, has highlighted the UAE’s achievements in Yemen, through its humanitarian arm, the Emirates Red Crescent, ERC, during the first half of the "Year of Zayed 2018", as well as its humanitarian, development and services projects in the country’s liberated areas. Al Kaabi's remarks came during his meeting with a delegation from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Yemeni interim capital, Aden, headed by Andrea Recchia, Head of OCHA Office in Aden sub-office, with the participation of Stephen Robinson, Mine Action Senior Technical Adviser at UNDP, among others. Andrea Recchia and the UN OCHA delegation praised the UAE’s efforts in rescuing Yemeni citizens in Hodeidah Governorate, as well as its role in clearing mines in the liberated areas of the Red Sea Coast, which saved the lives of civilians. The UN official also lauded the UAE’s humanitarian initiatives in Yemen, which reflect its keenness to support and protect Yemenis, in line with the UN’s plans to provide the residents of the country’s liberated areas with decent lives, especially those affected by mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Al Kaabi said their urgent rescue plans aim to ensure the provision of food and shelter to displaced people, as well as electricity, water, healthcare and education projects, which are being implemented by the ERC in many Yemeni cities and districts, and have reinforced the coordination between both sides and served their rescue efforts. Al Kaabi pointed out that the safety of Yemeni civilians is a top priority for the UAE, which provides urgent support to underprivileged Yemeni families. Al Kaabi added that the UAE has created a plan, in cooperation with the UN office in Aden, to clear mines in the liberated areas of Hodeidah. Both parties stressed the importance of providing statistics, which include the number of mines and IEDs planted by the Houthi militias, as well as the number of injuries caused by these mines.