RIYADH, March 02 (INP) Advisor to the Royal Court and Supervisor General of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, announced today the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s pledge of USD 430 million to fund the United Nations Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan 2021. According to the SPA that the announcement took place during the Yemen High-Level Pledging Event 2021, which was convened virtually and co-hosted by the Governments of Sweden and Switzerland and the United Nations to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Yemen. Opening remarks were delivered by Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ignazio Cassis, Vice President and Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs for Switzerland, Ann Linde, Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs, and David Gressly, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen. The first two segments of the event were moderated by Mark Lowcock, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Per Olsson Fridh, Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, and Ignazio Cassis. For the past six years, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been the leading donor of humanitarian assistance to Yemen. Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah made the following remarks at today’s event on behalf of the Kingdom: “I am honored to express the profound thanks and appreciation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Governments of Sweden and Switzerland and to the United Nations for their organization of this virtual conference during the exceptional circumstances the world is experiencing due to COVID-19 and its variants. Today, we hope that we can reach solutions that are more sustainable and effective in alleviating human suffering in Yemen. “Since unification by its founder, King Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has always centered its relationships with other countries and peoples on a set of values and principles that embrace peace, harmony and cooperation. The Kingdom has provided impartial support and assistance to millions of people in need, and has shared with the rest of the donor community the noble goal and responsibility of reducing the effects of humanitarian crises. Saudi Arabia ranks among the top donor countries providing humanitarian aid at the regional and international levels to countries in need, particularly Yemen. “We are meeting today amidst the ongoing humanitarian crisis Yemen has already been facing, along with all of the additional economic, health and political challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has created there. In addition to the major escalation of crises caused by the Iran-backed Houthi militias inside Yemen, particularly in the Ma'rib Governorate, which was a safe haven for IDPs, the militias have also scaled up their terrorist actions to threaten neighboring countries. This requires a firm and resolute stance from the international community to protect the Yemeni people and to reach sustainable solutions that achieve security, stability and development for Yemen and, ultimately, for the region and the world. “In spite of all of these difficult challenges and obstacles, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has maintained its pioneering role and ongoing commitment to Yemen and its noble people. Because of its keenness to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people, I am pleased to announce that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has pledged USD 430 million to support the Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan 2021 to be implemented through UN agencies, international organizations, and local and regional NGOs. “In conclusion, the Kingdom reaffirms its support for the security and stability of Yemen and the region, and its commitment to supporting all efforts aimed at reaching a sustainable political solution, based on the three initiatives, namely: the Gulf Initiative and its executive mechanism, the outcomes of the Yemen National Dialogue, and the relevant UN Security Council resolutions – foremost of which is resolution 2216 – in a manner that guarantees the preservation of the unity and safety of Yemen and its people.” The amount of aid provided by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Yemen during the past five years totals USD 17.3 billion, including support for the Central Bank of Yemen (USD 2 billion), the assistance provided to Yemeni refugees living in the Kingdom (USD 8.13 billion), and support to the Yemeni government (USD 199 million). Also included in this amount is USD 296.74 million for development support and USD 3.5 billion provided through KSrelief, which has implemented 575 multisector programs and projects in Yemen since 2015.