RIYADH, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia announced on Thursday 3-billion-U.S. dollars support for Yemen following the formation of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council.

The support includes 2 billion dollars offered jointly by the kingdom and the United Arab Emirates to the Yemeni Central Bank, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

It also includes 1 billion dollars from Saudi Arabia, in which 600 million dollars to fund the purchase of oil derivatives and 400 million dollars to support development projects and initiatives, it said.

Saudi Arabia also announced offering 300 million dollars for the United Nations' (UN) humanitarian response plan in 2022 to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people.

Meanwhile, the kingdom urged the newly formed Yemeni council to embark on negotiations with the Houthis under the auspices of the UN to reach a final and comprehensive political solution.

Earlier on the day, Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi has announced the establishment of a Presidential Leadership Council and handed over his power to the council, which will proceed with the duties during the transitional period.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government of Hadi out of the capital Sanaa.

The Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened on March 26, 2015 to support the Yemeni government.