Aden, Yemen, Dec 28 (NationPress) Saudi Arabia has committed $500 million to the Yemeni government to support the payment of state employees' salaries and cover various expenses, as stated by Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak.
In a message shared on social media platform X, Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak expressed his deep appreciation and gratitude to Saudi Arabia for its ongoing and generous assistance.
He remarked, 'The initiation of the fourth tranche of support, which includes $200 million for the general budget along with a $300 million deposit for the Central Bank of Yemen, underscores the kingdom's unwavering solidarity with the Yemeni people.'
The Yemeni Prime Minister highlighted that this funding will facilitate the government's ability to disburse salaries to state employees, improve the living conditions of citizens, and aid in stabilizing the significantly weakened Yemeni currency, contributing to overall market and economic stability, as reported by Xinhua.
This financial aid is a component of a larger $1.2 billion support initiative promised by Saudi Arabia last year to strengthen Yemen's faltering economy. Prior allocations from this package, totaling $250 million, were dispensed in February and August of the previous year.
Since late 2014, Yemen has been entrenched in a severe civil conflict, with the Houthis battling against the internationally recognized Yemeni government. In 2015, the Saudi-led coalition intervened to back the Yemeni government in this conflict.
After ten years since the Houthis seized control of Sanaa, Yemen remains sharply divided between north and south.
The Houthis dominate most of the northern regions, which include Sanaa and the strategically vital Red Sea port of Hodeidah. The internationally recognized Yemeni government, led by the Presidential Leadership Council since April 2022, primarily governs the southern and eastern territories, with Aden serving as the provisional capital.
The central Marib province and southwestern Taiz province continue to be fiercely contested. Furthermore, extremist groups like Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula have taken advantage of the chaos, operating in the remote areas of southern Yemen.
The humanitarian impact on Yemeni civilians has been devastating. UN agencies estimated that by the conclusion of 2021, the conflict had led to approximately 377,000 deaths, both directly and indirectly. The UN has described the situation in Yemen as 'the largest humanitarian crisis in the world.'
