Tag: Middle East

Ambassadors were briefed by Hans Grundberg, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Yemen, and Joyce Msuya, the UN deputy relief chief. 

Mr. Grundberg outlined achievements in the more than three months since the nationwide truce was announced, the first in six years, as well as continuing challenges making the agreement a reality on the ground. 

‘Immersed in the details’ 

The agreement is up for renewal in just three weeks, and the envoy will continue his engagement towards pushing it forward.

“Three and a half months into the truce, we still find ourselves immersed in the details of the truce implementation,” he said, speaking via video link from Amman, Jordan.  

“This is important. But it has meant we have not been able to invest as much in the task of consolidating and expanding the truce in order to deliver more benefits to the population and set Yemen on the path toward a durable political settlement.” 

The two-month renewable truce was announced in April, coinciding with the start of the holy month of Ramadan.  It was extended for an additional two months in June. 

Civilian casualties reduced 

During this time, Yemen has witnessed a “significant reduction” in civilian casualties, Mr. Grundberg reported.  Numbers have reduced by two thirds compared to the three months before the truce began.  Today, conflict-related civilian casualties are mostly due to landmines and unexploded ordnance. 

The UN continues to receive reports from both sides about alleged incidents such as direct and indirect fire, drone attacks, reconnaissance overflights, and the establishment of new fortifications and trenches. The parties are also allegedly sending reinforcements to some of the main frontlines, including in Ma’rib, Hudaydah, and Taiz.  

Last week, military representatives held their latest meeting to discuss the formation of the so-called Joint Coordination Room that will be tasked with de-escalating incidents. They also appointed a working group to consolidate proposals. 

The truce renewal has also allowed the continued flow of fuel into critical Hudaydah port, the access point for most goods coming in to Yemen. Imports have helped to avoid disruptions in essential public services that depend partly on fuel, such as water, healthcare, electricity, and transportation. 

Opening roads essential 

Addressing freedom of movement, Mr. Grundberg had hoped the parties would by now have reached agreement to open roads in Taiz and other governorates.  

“Opening roads is not only about easing humanitarian suffering and removing restrictions,” he said. “It is also about beginning to normalize the conditions of everyday life for Yemenis, including education, work, health services, and the overall economy.”  

Recently, “different sides” have announced their own take on road openings, but the envoy underlined the need for the parties to work together through the UN-facilitated process. 

Rise in rhetoric 

“While unilateral action could be a step in the right direction, agreement from both sides is important because road openings require coordination and ongoing communication to ensure that roads are opened safely and sustainably for civilian passage,” he said.  

Mr. Grundberg further reported that the last weeks have seen “worrisome escalatory rhetoric” by the parties over the benefits of the truce, describing it as “a dangerous move”. He urged the sides to refrain, and warned of what is at stake. 

“Let us be clear, the alternative to the truce is a return to hostilities and likely an intensified phase of conflict with all of its predictable consequences for Yemeni civilians and regional security,” he said. 

Expanding the agreement 

The UN envoy will continue to work with the parties on the possibility of a longer extension and an expanded truce agreement. This would provide the time and opportunity to start serious discussions on the economy, security, and other priority issues. 

While the truce represents a landmark step forward, it alone will not be enough to stop a potential sharp rise in humanitarian needs in Yemen, including risk of famine in some areas. 

That was the stark message Ms. Msuya delivered to the Council. “Yemen’s humanitarian catastrophe is about to get much worse,” she said, calling for greater international action. 

Aid workers intimidated 

Needs are rising including due to collapsing exchange rate but also the war in Ukraine, which is threatening the supply chains to a country where nearly 90 per cent of all food is imported. 

The operating environment for humanitarians is also becoming more difficult and dangerous. 

“Intimidation and incitement against aid agencies have continued across Yemen. This is being fuelled by misinformation amplified through social media, messaging apps and in some public forums,” she said. 

However, funding is their biggest problem as a humanitarian response plan for the country is less than 30 per cent funded.  Agencies like the World Food Programme (WFP) have been forced to cut rations for millions, even though hunger is worse than ever.  

More resources needed 

Funds for other urgent priorities are also lacking, including for a $144 million UN plan to address the threat posed by the decaying SAFER oil tanker.  The vessel, moored off Yemen’s Red Sea coast, is holding more than a million barrels of oil and is at risk of breaking apart or exploding. 

Additionally, the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism that facilitates commercial imports, is also running out of money and will shut down in September, “casting even more uncertainty onto already battered supply chains for food, fuel and other essential goods.”  

Ms. Msuya recalled that senior donor and agency officials met recently in Brussels to take stock of the challenges facing humanitarian response in Yemen. 

“Participants called for better access, more de-mining, better programme quality, closer monitoring of famine risk, more development support, and stronger advocacy, among other key objectives,” she said. 

“We could not agree more. We also hope the resources – political and financial – will be available to deliver what we all agree is urgently needed.” 

Overall, more than 14 million people in Syria require assistance amid a dire situation in which infrastructure has crumbled and economic activity halved due to conflict, regional financial crises, sanctions, and the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Resolution 2585, unanimously adopted last July, called for continued use of the Bab al-Hawa border crossing into the northwest, in addition to progress on cross-line aid deliveries within Syria. 

Maintain consensus 

The Secretary-General said although the massive humanitarian response carried out by the UN and its partners has staved off the worst, more support is needed. 

“I strongly appeal to the members of the Council to maintain consensus on allowing cross-border operations, by renewing resolution 2585 for an additional 12 months.  It is a moral imperative to address the suffering and vulnerability of 4.1 million people in the area who need aid and protection,” he said. 

The cross-border mechanism was first authorized in 2014, and since then, more than 50,000 trucks have rolled into war-ravaged Syria. 

It is one of the most heavily scrutinized and monitored aid operations in the world, Mr. Guterres told the Council. 

End humanitarian tragedy 

In addition to calling for the resolution’s renewal, the Secretary-General also urged ambassadors to do everything in their power to encourage warring sides in Syria to come to the negotiating table. 

“The only way to end the humanitarian tragedy in Syria is through a truly nationwide ceasefire and a political solution that enables the Syrian people to determine their own future,” he said. 

UN humanitarian affairs chief Martin Griffiths briefed ambassadors on some of the progress made since July.  

“This time last year, there were no cross-line convoys into north-west Syria. Since the adoption of resolution 2585, we have carried out five convoys, each including 14 trucks, from Government-controlled areas into Idleb, into the northwest,” he said. 

“This has opened cross-line access into northwest Syria for the first time in this last 12 months since 2017. It is no small thing.” 

‘We want to do more’ 

The trucks brought in food for over 43,000 people each time, along with nutrition, hygiene, medical and education supplies.  

“But we want to do more, we need to do more, we expect to do more, and we are working to expand access,” he continued.  “But we need an enabling environment. We need timely approvals from all concerned, and security guarantees, especially for safe passage. And, of course, we need funding.” 

Mr. Griffiths underscored the imperative of continuing to deliver assistance from Türkiye for an additional 12 months.  Last year, some 800 trucks brought in aid to the northwest, reaching just under 2.4 million people. 

He warned that without cross-border access, hunger will increase, medical cases will go untreated, COVID-19 vaccine distribution will be disrupted, and the ability to protect millions of women and girls from gender-based violence will also be severely limited, among other consequences. 

Ambassadors were briefed by two top UN officials who provided an update on the impact of the agreement between the Government and Houthi rebels, which was recently renewed for an additional two months, while also outlining the challenges that remain. 

“The truce has now been holding in Yemen for two-and-a-half months, something unprecedented during this war, and something that seemed unimaginable at the beginning of this year,” said Hans Grundberg, UN Special Envoy for the country, commending the sides. 

Reduction in fighting 

There have been no confirmed airstrikes in Yemen, or cross-border attacks emanating from the country, since the truce was first announced in April.  Civilian casualties have also seen a “significant reduction”, he reported.   

However, casualties from landmines and unexploded ordnance are increasing as people venture into contaminated frontline areas that were previously inaccessible. 

Despite the overall reduction in fighting, the UN also continues to receive reports of alleged violations from both parties including shelling, drone attacks, reconnaissance overflights, and the redeployment of forces. 

Some armed clashes have also been reported, mainly in Ma’rib, Taiz, and Hodeidah governorates.  

A military coordination committee comprising representatives from the two sides, and coalition forces backing the government, will meet monthly to address issues in a timely manner. 

Flights and fuel 

After six years of closure, commercial flights have been taking off from the airport in the capital, Sana’a, to Amman, Jordan, and Cairo, Egypt.  Fuel also has continued to flow steadily through the crucial port in Hodeidah. 

More than 480,000 metric tonnes of fuel cleared the port during April and May – greater than the amount which entered during the whole of 2021. 

“The steady delivery of fuel has taken the pressure off vital services, significantly decreased queues at petrol stations that dominated Sana’a’s streets, and has allowed Yemenis to travel more easily throughout the country,” said Mr. Grundberg. 

One critical outstanding issue is the opening of roads to Taiz, and other governorates.  Roads currently open are “long and arduous”, he said, recalling a six-hour journey from Aden to Taiz city which would have taken half the time prior to the seven-year conflict between Houthi rebel forces and the internationally-recognized Government. 

Road work ahead 

Following a meeting in Amman with the two sides, the UN envoy presented a proposal on the phased re-opening of roads that also includes an implementation mechanism and commitments to the safety of civilian travellers.  He has received a “positive response” from the Government and is awaiting answer from the Houthis, officially known as the Ansar Allah movement. 

Mr. Grundberg warned that recent weeks have revealed the truce’s fragility, and delaying its full implementation could cause the deal to unravel. 

“Resorting to transactionalism, threatening to condition the implementation of one element of the truce against another, and using escalatory media rhetoric, undermines the truce. It is ultimately up to the parties to safeguard the truce and to deliver on its promise for the benefit of Yemenis,” he said. 

Implementation has also raised “more contentious issues with political implications”, for example around revenue management, civil sector salary payments, travel documents, and a more durable ceasefire.  

‘A rare opportunity’ 

Mr. Grundberg told the Council that he will be moving forward on two fronts over the coming weeks.  He will work with the parties towards full implementation of the truce, and on more durable solutions to the country’s pressing economic and security issues, underling the need for the Council’s continuous support.   

“It is though, ultimately up to the parties to seize this opportunity, to negotiate in good faith, and to make necessary compromises for the benefit of Yemen as a whole. The truce offers a rare opportunity to pivot towards peace that should not be lost,” he said. 

Humanitarian needs mounting 

Ghada Mudawi, a senior official with the UN’s humanitarian wing, OCHA, also urged the Council to address the dire needs in a country where 19 million people are going hungry, with more than 160,000 on the brink of famine. 

“Yemen’s humanitarian crisis remains as severe today as it was before the truce. In fact, the crisis could soon deteriorate. Allowing this to happen would run counter to the momentum the truce has generated and could undermine prospects for further progress,” she said. 

Yemenis are being squeezed by soaring food prices stemming from Russia’s war in Ukraine, and currency depreciation has made the situation worse, while huge gaps persist in services such as water, health and education. More than four million Yeminis have been uprooted, including over 7,000 who fled in the past two months. 

“Displacement during the truce period was mainly due to people searching for jobs and adequate food. People also fled due to clashes in some areas despite the truce. We hope the extended truce will see a more comprehensive end to fighting, including any localized clashes,” said Ms. Mudawi, Acting Director of OCHA’s Operations and Advocacy Division. 

Restrictions on aid workers 

At the same time, aid agencies are also facing access constraints in Yemen.  There have actually been more restrictions on their movements in recent months, mainly due to regulations issued by local authorities in several areas. 

Insecurity is another concern for humanitarians as attempted carjackings, abductions and other attacks are on the rise, sometimes forcing them to suspend operations. The UN has called for the immediate release of two staff arrested and detained last November in Sana’a, which is controlled by the Houthis, and five staff kidnapped in Abyan governorate in February. 

Amid these challenges, humanitarians continue to deliver aid to 11 million people across Yemen each month, but a UN response plan is currently underfunded – another major threat that has resulted in a reduction in food assistance and a scale back in many essential programmes. 

Later this month, Sweden and the European Commission will host a meeting to discuss the humanitarian challenges in Yemen, a move Ms. Mudawi welcomed in the Council.