Many areas of Yemen are in the grip of floods caused by heavy rains. Special Envoy for Yemen: the situation in the country is unstable amid regional escalation Peace and security
Humanitarian organizations and their workers face harassment in Yemen, UN Special Envoy for the country Hans Grundberg told the Security Council.
Detentions of UN employees and other organizations
“80 days ago “Ansar Allah “has launched its concerted campaign to detain Yemeni UN staff, civil society representatives, national and international NGOs, diplomatic missions and private sector organizations,” he stressed.
“Dozens of men and women, including 13 UN staff, including one of my staff, are still being detained in unknown locations,” Grundberg added.
The Special Envoy also recalled the detentions of staff of the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) and UNESCO in 2021 and 2023, respectively. In addition, on 29 July, Ansar Allah closed the OHCHR office in Sana’a and asked its international staff to leave. Following the closure, Ansar Allah security forces, in flagrant violation of UN privileges and immunities, seized the organization’s office on 3 August.
The attack undermines the OHCHR’s ability to fulfil its mandate, Grundberg said. He stressed that protecting human rights is “protecting the future of Yemen” and the rights and freedoms of Yemenis.
“I therefore call on Ansar Allah to act responsibly and with compassion towards their fellow countrymen and women and to immediately and unconditionally release all UN, NGO, civil society, diplomatic and private sector representatives, as well as religious minorities, and to refrain from further arbitrary detentions,” the Special Envoy said.
Escalation in the Middle East
Grundberg expressed hope that the “escalatory trajectory” seen in the Middle East in recent months “can be reversed.” He stressed that the situation in Yemen in this context is unstable.
“Despite serious efforts to protect Yemen from this regional escalation, Ansar Allah continues to attack ships in the Red Sea, and the US and UK continue to strike military targets in Ansar Allah-controlled territory,” the Special Envoy added.
Problems within Yemen
The decade-long conflict in Yemen has weakened the country and made it more vulnerable to natural disasters, such as the ongoing floods in Hodeida, Taiz and other provinces, Grundberg stressed. He also recalled the cholera outbreak in Yemen, which is difficult to control under the current conditions.
“Therefore, I once again call on the Yemeni parties, and in particular Ansar Allah, to give priority to the Yemenis. Your responsibility is first and foremost in Yemen. We need to shift the focus back to Yemen and find solutions to Yemen’s problems,” he said.
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