Culture Minister meets EU, Netherlands ambassadors to Yemen

SANAA, Jan. 23 (YPA) – Minister of Culture Abdullah Ahmad al-Kebsi on Thursday met in Sanaa with the European Union and Dutch ambassadors to Yemen, Hans Grundberg and Irma Van Doorn.

The meeting discussed the aggression suffered by Yemen, which destroyed many institutions and facilities, including archaeological cities, monuments and sites that were directly targeted by airstrikes.

The meeting touched on the damage done to the cultural sector in Yemen as a result of the Saudi-led coalition aggression, which prevents the arrival of archaeological missions to the country.

In the meeting, the Culture Minister indicated that 64 archaeological and historical sites have been totally and partially destroyed by the coalition airstrikes, while 36 others were directly demolished by al-Qaeda and ISIS organizations, in addition to the destruction and damage of 3,500 homes as a result of the bombing on seven residential neighborhoods in the historical city of Sanaa.

The two ambassadors stressed that Yemen should take steps towards peace, noting that the European Union is making efforts to preserve heritage by supporting UNESCO programs, and that the Union is ready to send experts to rebuild and reach historical sites to work in.

YPA