Saudi Arabia and UAE thwart Al Houthi plan to change Yemen’s identity

Since the beginning of the Yemeni crisis, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have contributed to face the crises that the Houthis have created to implement an Iranian agenda that has led to the collapse of the economic, living, cultural and educational conditions in Yemen.

One of the most important roles played by Saudi Arabia and the UAE in Yemen is to counter the Iranian-backed Houthi scheme aimed at changing the Yemeni identity through several mechanisms that began with education and curriculum change, the demolition of schools and military barracks, and preventing teachers from paying their salaries to thwart the educational process.

Efforts by the two countries have been commended by international organizations. UNICEF has appreciated the recent support from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates of donating $ 70 million to pay 135,000 teachers in all governorates of Yemen.

“More than 135,000 Yemeni teachers have not been paid for more than two years,” the organization’s executive director, Henrietta Fur, said. “For children all over Yemen, classrooms are the place where they feel “UNICEF is working in Yemen to meet the urgent needs of children with the generous support of all donors,”

The support provided by Saudi Arabia and the UAE comes as part of the efforts of the two countries to save the educational process in Yemen. Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabiah, Advisor to the Royal Court, General Supervisor of the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Works, announced that the Kingdom and the UAE will provide 70 million dollars Teacher salaries in Yemen in cooperation with the United Nations and UNICEF.

Al-Rabiah pointed out that the Saudi-led coalition countries are following with concern the suffering of the Yemeni people from the deterioration of the economic and living conditions. Which have negatively impacted their daily lives because the monthly salaries of some groups working in the community, the reduction of the teachers’ salaries gap is in coordination with UNICEF, which will contribute to the salaries of 135,000 teachers.

The initiative of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates is worth $ 70 million in support of teachers ‘salaries in Yemen (not the first of its kind), in the framework of the two countries’ belief that education is the best weapon to be given to Yemenis to counter the Houthi-Iranian sectarian ideology.

Saudi Arabia provided scholarships to Yemenis in Saudi universities in all fields of education, and in all programs such as “bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate”. The number of beneficiaries of the programs was 5272, at a cost of more than $ 137 million American.

Saudi Arabia has also set up nine educational projects through the King Salman Center for Education Support in Yemen from 2015 to date so that Yemen’s war against Houthi militias will not affect the future of Yemeni students. The cost of the projects is $ 64,787,000, with implementing the campaign”Educational” to provide textbooks and educational supplies for the children of Yemen, and exceeded the total supplies provided 155 thousand pieces.

The Saudi-Emirati support for the educational process in Yemen is a serious step in countering the identity change plan, which is being spearheaded by the Al-Huthi militia with Iranian support. Which targets the younger generation through changing curricula and attempts to change the Yemeni cultural structure by all means.

According to the Yemeni political writer and analyst, Abdullah Ismail, the support provided by Saudi Arabia and the UAE comes within the framework of the great role played by the two countries to support Yemen. Pointing out that this support goes beyond the idea of simple intervention, to reach the full support of the Yemeni people.

Ismail added in a statement to El Marga’a that these humanitarian initiatives provided by the two countries confirm that the role of the Arab Alliance is not limited to the military side only, but extends to the level of development. Especially under the support of the King Salman Relief Center in support of Many Yemeni humanitarian issues.