Ambassador Mohammed Al-Jaber, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Yemen, who is also the executive director of the Yemen Comprehensive Humanitarian Operations' Center, stressed yesterday during a meeting with the United Arab Emirates' ambassador to the Kingdom, as well as, other representatives, that the Hodaidah Port remains open and it will be a life artery for Yemenis in facilitating relief supplies; as opposed to a passage for weapons of death and destruction and means to enrich the Iranian-backed Houthi militias.  He also added that the Coalition and the international community continue to seek a political solution based on: the GCC initiatives and its implementation mechanisms; the outputs of the National Yemeni Dialogue; and, UN Security Council Resolution 2216.  The Houthis, on the other hand, continue to reject these.

Amb. Al-Jaber has confirmed that the Kingdom and the Coalition Countries continue to  support the legitimate Yemeni government and Yemeni army.  He praised the heroism and efforts of the Yemeni army in recapturing Yemeni territory from the Iranian-backed Houthi militias.  Amb. Al-Jaber asserted that the liberation of Hodeidah Port and city represent a liberation of humanitarian and aid operations from the grip of the Houthi militias, which use the port for their own benefit and smuggling arms from Iran; sustaining the war and leading to continued starvation and poverty of the Yemeni people.

Regarding the humanitarian work facilitated by the Coalition countries, Amb. Al-Jaber reiterated that due to the Yemen Comprehensive Humanitarian Operations, initiated in January 2018, it was possible to expand aid relief efforts for Yemeni people.  In addition to food, medicinal, and fuel supplies; the plan encompasses several structural components that include increasing the capacity of Yemeni ports, as well as, projects to repair and mend roads.  Additionally, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait have provided more than one third of the international donations to the United Nation's Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan.  With the liberation of Hodeidah Port; the Coalition will continue its work on delivery of relief and humanitarian aid to all parts of Yemen, within existing efforts and the framework of a new initiative, the Sea Bridge, which aims to intensify aid efforts, including food, petroleum, shelter and medical supplies, to immediately address the humanitarian situation on the ground.