LONDON, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- The British government announced it was committing $45.3 million to address the humanitarian crisis in war-torn Yemen.
Yemeni President Abdu Rabbo Mansour Hadi met with British authorities ahead of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Hadi's visit to London was his first to a non-Arab country since he took office in February.
The British Foreign and Commonwealth office said in a statement that Yemen has made "remarkable progress" since Hadi took office, though tackling the threat posed by al-Qaida and other militant groups should be a top priority for his administration.
The British government said it was committing $45.3 million to help Yemen address humanitarian challenges that are in part a result of lingering conflict in the country.
Jamal Benomar, a U.N. special adviser on Yemen, had said after his return from the country that there were "serious challenges" for the country despite political gains.
A national dialogue conference is expected to culminate in preparations for a draft constitution by the end of the year. General elections should take place in February.
Hadi joins British Foreign Secretary William Hague in the United States this week for a meeting of the Friends of Yemen group, which takes place on the sidelines of the U.N. sessions.
