HODEIDAH, 23rd June, 2018 (WAM) -- Emirati humanitarian aid convoys, containing 100 trucks loaded with tens of thousands of food and medical items, arrived on Saturday in Mocha, south of Taiz Governorate.

The assistance is presented by the UAE through the Emirates Red Crescent, ERC, the top humanitarian arm of the country, to provide relief for 1.7 million Yemenis in Hodeidah and surrounding areas. It also goes in harmony with the comprehensive relief surge plan adopted by the Saudi-led Arab Coalition to help stabilise the current humanitarian situation across Hodeidah.

The aid is provided via land, air and sea for the people of Hodeidah and its surrounding areas in order to restore normalcy and stability after three years of starvation as a result of the Iran-backed Houthi siege.

The assistance, which includes blankets, tents and other essential supplies, reflects the UAE's commitment to the international humanitarian law and comes in fulfilment of its moral obligation toward the Yemeni people in their daily strife for basic needs.

Hareb Al Owani, ERC team member on Yemen's Red Sea Coast, said that the arrival of humanitarian relief convoys to the people of Hodeidah and the surrounding areas reflects the unshakable commitment of the UAE’s leadership, government and people toward the fraternal people of Yemen and the country's determination to continue to alleviate their suffering under the difficult circumstances they are experiencing as a result of the flagrant violations and criminal practices perpetrated by the Iran-aligned Houthi militias, against innocent civilians.

Al Owani added that the UAE has spared no effort to provide humanitarian assistance to the Yemeni people, especially in Hodeidah, as the liberation operations on the Red Sea Coast of Yemen are going side by side with a contingency plan to provide essential needs and implement developmental projects in the strategic cities and abutting areas.

The ERC has sent a relief sea bridge containing 10 ships loaded with 35,000 tonnes of various food items, an airlift of 14,000 food parcels and a 100-truck aid convoy carrying goods purchased from local markets in Yemen.

As a result of the collective efforts of the United Nations organisations with the Arab Coalition countries, 115,000 metric tonnes of food have been stockpiled in Hodeidah, which is sufficient to cover the food needs of 6.5 million people.

The Saudi-led Arab Coalition has implemented projects worth US$17.2 billion to provide aid to Yemen from April 2015 to May 2018 and develop a comprehensive and large-scale relief plan for Hodeidah and surrounding areas.

WAM/Hazem Hussein/Hatem Mohamed