A package of measures to help rebuild conflict-hit Yemen is being planned by the Saudi-led coalition, of which Bahrain is a part.

This was revealed yesterday (April 23) by Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, who was addressing a press conference at Bahrain International Airport in the presence of his Yemeni counterpart Riyadh Yaseen and a visiting delegation from that country, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

Shaikh Khalid said that the package would include humanitarian aid to be collected by Bahrain's Royal Charity Organisation (RCO), in line with the new phase of the coalition's Yemen operation dubbed Restore Hope.

His Majesty King Hamad has directed the RCO to prioritise the delivery and distribution of this aid, which would help Yemen recover from the damage caused by the Houthi rebels, the minister said.

Although the air campaign known as Operation Decisive Storm has come to a close, military action will also still be taken as and when required, Shaikh Khalid added.

"Military action against enemies of the Yemeni people, whether Houthis or their partners, will continue even though there is a new approach to help restore peace and provide stability to the nation," he said.

"We will abide by the United Nations Security Council decision 2216 and accordingly will give the Yemenis whatever help they may need.

"The RCO has been directed by the King to collect, deliver and distribute aid and they are co-ordinating with those concerned to help in that process."

A positive transition for Yemen would only come about in phases, the minister said.

"This is a dear country that is a part of the Arabian peninsula where our tribes and families live and there is a lot of work to be done," he said.

"These phases of work, whether economical, educational or infrastructural will only be achieved through unity."

Yaseen, for his part, thanked Bahrain for its support and said legitimacy would be restored to Yemen "through the brotherly support shown to us by our neighbours".

Unity

"We are currently helping our brothers in Yemen fight the Houthis, who are brutal and savage," he said.

"There are no negotiations with the Houthis or their supporters at the moment because they have not surrendered their weapons yet, either those that were given to them by Iran or seized from the army."

The Yemeni minister added that Iran should have sent medicines and food, but instead tried to send more weapons in line with its plan to "colonise" the region. The Houthis, meanwhile, were destroying everything they could get their hands on, disregarding human life and could not be trusted, Yaseen said. - TradeArabia News Service