(MENAFN - Emirates News Agency (WAM))

NEW YORK, 26th January, 2018 (WAM) -- Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General, has welcomed the generous US$1 billion pledge by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to support humanitarian action in Yemen, as well as their commitment to raise an additional US$500 million from other donors in the region.

In a statement, he said, "I welcome the news that five tankers carrying 180,000 litres of fuel reached Marib yesterday as part of the Coalition's wider plan to facilitate humanitarian action in Yemen. This fuel will be delivered, based on need, to health facilities and water stations, where it will be used to keep life-saving services running for local communities. The Coalition has committed to increase humanitarian fuel deliveries to 1 million litres per week over the coming weeks."

The statement noted that the 2018 Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan, YHRP, was launched on 20th January and seeks US$2.96 billion to assist 13.1 million people across the country. Guterres urged all donors to channel their contributions through the YHRP and rapidly convert pledges into cash for aid agencies.

Guterres concluded his statement by saying that the most effective way to address humanitarian suffering in Yemen is to end the conflict.

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