United Nations, Mar 29 (IANS): The Unicef announced a new contribution of $7 million by Saudi Arabia to support the Fund's education programmes in the war-torn Yemen.

According to the Unicef, the monetary aid will help increase access to quality education for girls and boys through formal, non-formal and alternative education opportunities, reports Xinhua news agency.

The project aims to reach 578,000 children, 7,000 teachers and 54,000 community members in Yemen, it added.

The grant brings recent Saudi contributions to Unicef to $22 million.

Earlier agreements provided quality maternal and newborn health services and access to safe water for thousands of children in Yemen, said the UN agency.

Protracted armed conflict, widespread economic collapse and a breakdown in national systems and services have left 72 per cent of the population of Yemen, including 12.9 million children, in need of humanitarian assistance.

Unicef requires $484.4 million to respond to the country's humanitarian crisis this year.