Egyptian president Sisi sends humanitarian aid to Yemen

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ordered Egyptian authorities late Wednesday to send food and medical supplies and aid Yemenis under attack, state news agency MENA reported.

A plane set off carrying humanitarian aid to our “Yemeni brothers,”  al-Sisi stated.

Last month, the UN declared its highest level humanitarian emergency in the country, where over 80 percent of the population need assistance.

On Wednesday morning, al-Sisi met with Yemeni counterpart Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi in Cairo.

The meeting focused on the latest developments in Yemen, whose situation has escalated to a regional war.

Presidential spokesman Ambassador Alaa Youssef said that al-Sisi will stand by Hadi and is committed to stabilise the situation in Yemen and to maintain its independence.

Al-Sisi underlined to his Yemeni counterpart that a political solution through dialogue under the umbrella of the UN is necessary to achieve national reconciliation.

On Monday, al-Sisi issued a presidential decree to extend the deployment of Egyptian units abroad for at least another six months or until the end of Saudi-led coalition operations.

Egypt is a participant in the Saudi-led campaign launched in March against Houthi militants in Yemen.

Hadi declared the importance of regaining Yemen, and declared Aden as the country’s “temporary capital.”

The Yemeni leader congratulated al-Sisi on the new Suez Canal waterway, to be inaugurated today, and expressed his appreciation for al-Sisi’s support for Yemen.

He also said that the new Suez Canal channel is an achievement for the Arab nation.

“The Suez Canal will contribute to the development of the trade and transportation movement in the world,” said Hadi, adding that “Egypt is a pillar of stability in the region.”

The meeting was attended by Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Egyptian Transport Minister Hany Dahy, Yemeni Foreign Minister Riyadh Yassin, Yemeni Transport Minister Badr Basalma and Yemen’s Ambassador in Cairo Mohammed El-Hethmy.

source:Ahram online