Abdullah Al-Rabeeah

:: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) has implemented 257 projects since its establishment in 2015, via 119 local and international partnerships, at a cost of more than $895 million, its general supervisor said on Saturday.

There have been 166 projects allocated to Yemen, implemented in all governorates in cooperation with local partners and specialized UN organizations, said Abdullah Al-Rabeeah.

The projects in Yemen include the medical sector, environmental sanitation, and programs for women and children, he added. All Yemeni ports are open to humanitarian, relief and commercial assistance, he said.

Al-Rabeeah made his remarks during a press conference at the headquarters of the Russian News Agency in Moscow, in the presence of the Saudi and Yemeni ambassadors to Russia, as well as reporters.

Through KSRelief, the Kingdom has provided all types of relief and humanitarian assistance for the needy in 39 countries on four continents, the KSRelief chief said.

He affirmed that the KSRelief humanitarian and relief efforts reached all Yemeni provinces including those controlled by the Houthi militia. However, obstacles set in place by the Houthis in the face of relief works will not discourage KSRelief from sending humanitarian assistance to all Yemeni provinces, he said.

He called on global humanitarian groups and the international community not to overlook areas besieged by the Houthi militias inside Yemen which are harboring millions of innocent people, including women, children and the elderly, who are trapped inside Taiz and other towns.

Referring to cholera in Yemen, he said this disease has been endemic in Yemen for many years due to the poor health infrastructure and standards. However, thanks to enormous efforts undertaken by the concerned parties supported by KSRelief, the rate of recovery has been increased to more than 99.7 percent.

As a center, KSRelief coordinates with local and global partners to ensure the entry and distribution of aid to the needy in all parts of Yemen, he said.

In another issue, the KSRelief chief strongly condemned the launching of missiles toward Riyadh and other densely populated areas in the Kingdom by the Houthi militia. He considered it a flagrant violation of international law.

Referring to the Syrian crisis, he said the Kingdom was one of the first countries in supporting the Syrian people where it hosts 262,000 Syrian refugees as guests. It also allowed them to enter the labor market and provided free education for 114,000 Syrian students in its schools. The Kingdom also provided projects worth $800 million aimed to alleviate suffering of the Syrian refugees living in neighboring countries.