UAE praised for role in liberating Aden

Emirates Red Crescent continues to oversee development and humanitarian programmes to help the Yemeni people. Wam

ABU DHABI // Yemen’s leaders praised the UAE’s role in liberating Aden and other parts of the country from the Houthi rebels.

On Wednesday night, Khaled Bahah, Yemen’s vice-president and prime minister, met UAE Special Envoy for Yemen, Dr Mubarak Al Jaberi, to discuss the liberation of the rest of the country from the Iran-backed militias.

Mr Bahah said that the Yemeni government had returned to Yemen to “exercise its responsibilities in Aden and all other governorates liberated from the rebel Houthi militia and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh”.

He said his government had urgent issues to address, including reconstruction, development, and the restoration of facilities such as health care.

Dr Al Jaberi conveyed the UAE’s congratulations on the Yemeni government’s return to its home country, reported state news agency Wam. He also said that cooperation between the two countries would be enhanced to restore security and stability.

Meanwhile, the Emirates Red Crescent’s aid programme to the country managed to deliver food baskets to more than 11,000 families in the past week.

Since its launch earlier this month, the Yemen: We Care campaign has raised more than Dh502 million to help reconstruction of the country.

Dr Mohammed Al Falahi, secretary general of the ERC, said by the start of next month, thousands of Yemeni children would have access to refurbished schools, with blackboards, computers and other equipment.

He said 54 schools were expected to be finished within two days.

In Dubai, the Executive Council opened its meeting by praying for the souls of the UAE servicemen who gave their lives as part of the coalition force during operation Restoring Hope.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, said: “Every person in this country is a soldier in their own position through their performance, giving and belonging to this precious country.”

He praised the heroism of the fallen servicemen and of members of the Armed Forces.