Washington - Al Maghrib Today
The principal economic officer at the Yemeni Embassy in Washington has lauded the “integral role” played in his country by the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Aid (KSRelief).
KSRelief “has demonstrated its ability to support fast-response projects across numerous sectors simultaneously,” Abdulrahman Al-Eryani told Arab News.
Its recent efforts to combat cholera in Yemen “is an example of the center’s agility and commitment in tackling new humanitarian challenges,” he added.
Last week, KSRelief donated $33.7 million to the World Health Organization (WHO) to combat cholera in Yemen, following a donation of $33 million to UNICEF at the end of July.
The Kingdom was responding to an urgent appeal by the WHO and UNICEF for help to contain the disease, whose spread has raised fears that it will further aggravate an already serious humanitarian crisis.
A spokesperson for USAID, the leading US government agency tasked with alleviating poverty worldwide, told Arab News: “We welcome this assistance, and encourage future contributions to fight the alarming prevalence of cholera and food insecurity in Yemen.”
Gerald Feierstein, former US ambassador to Yemen, told Arab News: “In two years of conflict in Yemen, KSRelief has been one of the key international partners for humanitarian relief to the Yemeni people, providing hundreds of millions of dollars of food, medicine and other essential supplies.”
It has also been “a valued partner with the international aid community, including USAID… in coordinating the larger relief effort,” he added.
Since its establishment in 2015, KSRelief has provided $914.3 million worth of humanitarian aid and relief, including the latest pledges.
The assistance has included implementing 218 projects that address issues such as food security, housing and shelter, preventative health care and education.
KSRelief works with dozens of partners worldwide, including the World Food Programme (WFP), the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).