UAE raises money to help Yemen, and calls other countries to do the same

Source: GulfNews, 02/07/2012

Yemen’s stability impacts all countries in the Arabian Gulf region
We cannot afford to let Yemen starve

Yemen is always described as the Arabian Peninsula’s strategic depth. Its stability or lack of it impacts all the countries in the Arabian Gulf region. Thus, the GCC moved swiftly to help Yemen restore its political stability, following the unrest of last year. 

The plan, which saw the transfer of power from former president Ali Abdullah Saleh to his deputy and followed by a presidential election, was devised by the GCC and it helped avoid a civil strife that was brewing in the impoverished country.

But following the restoration of stability, the economic situation began to deteriorate and thousands of people were in danger of famine due to displacement and a year-long political and social unrest.

Few countries responded to the calls of Yemenis for aid. One of those few countries is the UAE. The UAE has always been at the forefront in providing humanitarian aid. President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan was the first to answer the call of the Yemenis by ordering Dh500 million in food aid.

Yesterday, ‘Sanadhom’, the UAE campaign to aid Yemen, concluded wherein millions of dirhams were collected through a nation-wide telethon. It is hoped that other countries will follow the UAE’s example and move in to help the people of Yemen.

We cannot afford and should not allow our strategic depth to be left starving. It is strategically and morally unacceptable.