Britain grants Yemen £2.5 mln funding

LONDON, Jan. 22 (YPA) – Britain’s Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on Tuesday announced an initial £ 2.5 million funding for Yemen.

This comes amid efforts being made by UN Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths, who is struggling to reach an agreement on basic confidence-building measures such as the prisoner exchange.

The United Nations is increasingly trying to salvage a ceasefire in the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, which could lead to wider peace throughout the war-torn country, and it would be enhanced by additional funds from the United Kingdom to support the city’s civil administration.

Griffiths arrived in Yemen on Monday to assess the situation, but UN officials acknowledge that the ceasefire could collapse within weeks unless the United Nations’ capacity improved and a fundamental change occurred on both sides.

The additional funding of £ 2.5 million will go to the Office of the United Nations Civilian Coordinator, which is supposed to provide all civilian jobs within its tasks alongside monitoring the ceasefire.

The tasks of the United Nations will include the management of major ports, demining operations in the city and port of Hodeidah and the establishment of new civilian protection police.

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