The UAE is to send 10 ships and three aeroplanes with aid to liberated parts of Hodeidah on instructions from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) committee Chairman Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed.
The ERC aid corridor will involve the 10 UAE vessels carrying 13,500 tons of foodstuffs as an accompanying airlift gets under way with three flights shipping 10,436 food parcels.
Wam news agency reported that the “first aid ship will transport 500 tons of rice and flour, while the second ship will deliver 1,000 tons of various foodstuffs. Four other vessels will provide 3,000 tons of foodstuffs each.”
The first ERC aid ship, carrying 10,000 tons of wheat, is expected to arrive in a week on Friday, providing essential aid for 888,000 people, including 480,000 children and 160,000 women, across two weeks.
The aid ships are heading towards Hodeidah, where the port remains open and operational despite the ongoing offensive. More ships have been cleared to arrive at the port in the coming days.
A ship carrying 65,000 food parcels arrived in Yemen last Sunday, sending relief to 455,000 Yemenis, including 273,000 children and 91,000 women.
Another cargo ship sent by the UAE on Sunday will arrive to Yemen's shores next Friday, carrying 500 tons of food aid - enough to provide for 12,000 people across a two-week period. A UAE vessel carrying 1,000 tons of food is scheduled to arrive to Yemen the day after.
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As for the air supplies, Wam said, the first and second planes will carry 2,010 food parcels each, while the third will carry a load of 6,416.
Sheikh Hamdan repeated the UAE's commitment to its humanitarian responsibilities towards the Yemeni people, as per the directives of the leadership. He added the UAE would spare no effort in providing the resources and aid to reduce the hardships faced by Yemenis.
He stressed that the relief bridge to Hodeidah will provide humanitarian and food assistance to the governorate's liberated areas, which will continue to keep pace with the military efforts.
Sheikh Hamdan noted the UAE aid authority's efforts in Yemen, adding that the ERC continues to keep pace with liberation of the Red Sea Coast region, making all efforts to support the security and stability of Yemen's citizens.
UAE aid to Yemen between April 2015 and May 2018 reached Dh13.85 billion. The UAE has also pledged $500 million to support the UN Humanitarian Response Plan for Yemen in 2018, of which so far has committed 93 per cent of the pledged amount.
