Donors have pledged over €3bn in aid to impoverished Yemen, as it grapples with a fragile political transition and struggles to contain a growing threat by al-Qaeda.
At a Friends of Yemen meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia said it would give neighbouring Yemen $3.25bn (€2.6bn) and urged other nations to follow suit.
"The Yemeni government is exerting courageous efforts, but without the help of its brothers and friends, Yemen will not be able to solve the crises it is facing," Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said.
Support for Yemen "includes providing expertise and help in all fields including economy, security and military," he said.
Yemeni Prime Minister Mohammed Basindawa said his government is planning development projects that needed funds and were part of a 2012-2013 programme aimed at reviving the economy and stabilising the security, political and social situation.
"The plan includes several projects in the fields of economy, politics, humanitarian assistance and reforms," said Mr Basindawa.
Today, seven aid groups warned diplomats that Yemen was on the brink of a "catastrophic food crisis" and urged them to bolster efforts to salvage the situation.
At least 10 million people, some 44% of the population, do not get "enough food to eat", they said, adding that one in three children was "severely malnourished."
27 countries, including the six oil-rich Gulf Cooperation Council states, the US and Britain, as well as international organisations, are attending the meeting, the first since President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi took power on 21 February.
In addition to poverty, Mr Hadi's rule is challenged by a growing threat of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), considered by the US as the most active branch of the global terror network.
