"Residents of Hadibu, the capital of Yemen’s Socotra Island, held a large rally on Thursday to express their appreciation to the United Arab Emirates for its support to the island - in education, healthcare and public services.   Footage shows participants waving UAE flags and portraits of Emirati leaders, as folk dance troupes performed.   Colonel Abdullah Suleiman Fadnhen, former deputy director of security in Socotra, said the rally was held “to express our gratitude and appreciation to the United Arab Emirates for all that it has done for the Socotra Archipelago.”   Activist Aref Abdo Saleh said that key public services in Socotra province — including education, healthcare, hospitals, water wells, food assistance, and orphan care - had all been made possible through UAE support.   Sheikh Ali Lalm, a prominent local dignitary, also praised the UAE’s role, saying" “We are grateful to the United Arab Emirates for providing the people of Socotra Island with basic services, including education, healthcare, and public services.”   The UAE has provided more than 110 million dollars in aid to Socotra since 2015. The assistance has covered most of the island’s vital sectors, including social and health services, humanitarian aid, transportation and storage, education, fisheries, construction and civil development, power generation, water and sanitation, as well as support for government institutions and civil society. "