Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has signed a $3.1 million agreement with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to support protection and healthcare services for forcibly displaced people in Yemen.
The new agreement aligns with Saudi Arabia’s continuous support for Yemen, its security, stability, and development. It also underscores the Kingdom’s strong commitment to alleviating the suffering of the Yemeni people and backing their aspirations.
Protecting IDPs
Under the agreement, nearly 45,000 people will gain access to essential services, including civil documentation, legal aid, voluntary refugee return support, and primary healthcare. The agreement aims to help protect the stability and dignity of families facing severe humanitarian crises.
According to a statement by the UNHCR, the agency and its partners will provide support for thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) and refugees to obtain identity documentation and registration to help restore their access to fundamental rights, protection mechanisms, and essential services.
This contribution will allow IDPs, refugees, and asylum seekers to access legal aid to address displacement-related issues, including eviction risks, housing and property disputes, and personal status cases, thereby enhancing their protection and safeguarding their rights and dignity.
These efforts are of vital importance given that many have lost their identity documents during displacement, which prevents them from registering their children in school, accessing public services, or securing livelihoods.
Furthermore, the agreement will boost counseling, documentation support, and safe air and sea transportation for Somali refugees wishing to return home voluntarily. By ensuring their return is safe and dignified, the initiative aims to reduce the need for irregular and dangerous journeys.
Healthcare Services
The agreement will cover healthcare services, supporting three healthcare facilities in Sana’a, Aden and Kharaz Refugee Camp in the Lahij governorate. These centers will provide medical consultations and essential medicine for refugees and vulnerable host community members.
The signing of the agreement took place during a video conference attended by KSrelief Assistant Supervisor General for Operations and Programs Ahmed bin Ali Al-Baiz, and Senior Advisor and Representative to the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries at UNHCR Khaled Khalifa.
On this occasion, Al-Baiz affirmed KSrelief’s commitment to its strategic partnership with the UNHCR, noting that the project reflects Saudi Arabia‘s ongoing efforts to provide essential services, alleviate suffering, and build long-term resilience for displaced families and host communities in Yemen.
Meanwhile, Khalifa expressed gratitude for the renewed funding, emphasizing that it arrives at a critical moment of escalating need and will directly guarantee vital protection and aid for the most vulnerable populations, particularly women, children, and the elderly.
Finally, Acting UNHCR Representative in Yemen Armen Yedgarian praised the generous support as a testament to a strong commitment to safeguarding vulnerable communities, adding that the partnership provides the UNHCR with the necessary means to help families rebuild their lives with dignity.
Urgent Support Package
Beyond the UNHCR partnership, the new agreement marks an extension of Saudi Arabia’s broader continuous humanitarian and relief efforts in Yemen, led by KSrelief – the Kingdom’s humanitarian arm.
On May 27, 2026, Saudi Arabia announced a $150 million grant in the form of petroleum derivatives to cover the needs of operating power stations using diesel and fuel oil in various governorates of Yemen.
The grant came under the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, with follow-up from Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman.
Channeled through the Saudi Program for Development and Reconstruction of Yemen (SDRPY), the support aims to reinforce the stability of the electricity system, improve the continuity of essential services, and alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people, thereby enhancing vital services and supporting economic and development activities.
Unwavering Saudi Commitment
SDRPY spearheads Saudi Arabia‘s efforts to support the development of Yemen, ensuring project planning, implementation, and evaluation efficiency in coordination with the Yemeni government.
It has implemented 268 projects and initiatives across more than 14 Yemeni governorates. Covering 8 development sectors, the cost of these projects amounted to $1.140 billion.
The initiatives focus on improving mobility across regions, expanding educational opportunities, helping universities and technical institutes deliver their programs, delivering efficient healthcare services, promoting sustainable farming, scaling up renewable energy, economically empowering women and youth, and fostering robust community participation.
In February 2026, SDRPY delivered $346.6 million in financial aid to Yemen to address budget shortfall and ensure the payment of public sector salaries, under the directives of Saudi leadership.
