DJIBOUTI — Amid an escalating humanitarian crisis in Yemen, Secretary of State John F. Kerry said Wednesday the United States would donate $68 million to international aid groups to help refugees and others displaced by the civil war.
DJIBOUTI — Amid an escalating humanitarian crisis in Yemen, Secretary of State John F. Kerry said Wednesday the United States would donate $68 million to international aid groups to help refugees and others displaced by the civil war.
But getting relief supplies into Yemen has been complicated by dangers posed by the Saudi-led airstrikes against rebel factions since late March. Humanitarian groups also have had trouble obtaining fuel for trucks.
Kerry made the announcement during a stop in Djibouti, a small country of just 1 million people that has been a transit point for thousands of people fleeing the strife in Yemen just across the mouth of the Red Sea.
While some countries in the region have tightened visa requirements for Yemenis in recent months, Djibouti has said anyone able to get out of the chaos in Yemen is welcome.
The State Department has temporarily added consular staff to the U.S. Embassy in Djibouti to help process visa applications from Americans with family members who are not citizens. Embassy employees have been meeting arriving ships at the port to help refugees contact relatives in the United States and get their visa paperwork started.
“A friendly face on the dock waiting to say, ‘It’s gonna be OK,’ makes all the difference in the world,” said Kerry in a brief meeting with embassy employees.
An estimated 16 million Yemenis are in need of help — a number growing daily as the Saudi-led coalition tries to push back Houthi rebels who have seized control of much of Yemen and sent its president fleeing.
Yemen is also the base for one of al-Qaeda’s most active branches, which has taken advantage of the conflict to seek new footholds.
Kerry said the United States has urged Saudia Arabia to call a “pause” in the bombing campaign so humanitarian aid can be delivered. The Saudis have expressed a willingness to halt the airstrikes, Kerry said, but so far that has not happened.
Kerry came to Djibouti after visiting Kenya and Somalia. His visit to Africa is designed to bolster counter-terrorism efforts in the region.
Djibouti was an important stop because it is a U.S. military hub for launching drone strikes against militants in Somalia. About 4,500 U.S. military personnel work out of Camp Lemonnier, an extension of Djibouti’s civilian airport and the only American military base in Africa.
Djibouti Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said the country has been dealing with an influx of refugees “by ourselves.” He noted the government has helped them find hotels, and converted a soccer stadium into a refugee camp.
Earlier in the trip, Kerry pledged $45 million to Kenya to help with the increasing flow of refugees from Somalia.
Kerry is scheduled to fly later Wednesday to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he is expected to discuss the battles in Yemen.