The Saudi Development Fund signed Wednesday with the Yemeni Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation three agreements for supporting the Social Development Fund, public works and rural roads projects in Yemen, according to Yemeni news agency Saba. The Saudi Development Fund will provide $100 million for the Yemen Social Development Fund, $75 million for financing the public work projects and $50 million for supporting the projects of the rural roads. The agreements were signed in Sana'a by Saudi Finance Minister and head of the Saudi Development Fund Ibrahim Abdul Aziz Al-Assaf and the Yemeni Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Abdul Karim Al-Arhabi. Meanwhile, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomed a donation from the Kingdom of 1,500 metric tons of dates, worth $1.3 million to help feed thousands of vulnerable people in Yemen. Two thirds of the donation (1,000 metric tons) will be distributed to 60,000 school-girls in WFP-targeted schools and the remaining 500 metric tons will support WFP's operation to assist 77,000 persons affected by the violence. “We are grateful for this generous donation from Saudi Arabia which comes at a time when the sharp increase of food prices locally and internationally is becoming a huge burden on the people and WFP's limited resources,” said WFP Representative in Yemen. __
