UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg speaks via video link at the UN Security Council. The UN has rejected the Houthis’ accusations and once again called on them to release the UN staff UN
Ansar Allah must immediately and unconditionally release all detained UN staff, diplomats, representatives of religious minorities, NGOs and the private sector. This was stated by UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg at a meeting of the UN Security Council.
“The continued detention of these individuals is a grave injustice to those who have dedicated their lives to improving the situation in Yemen. These detentions narrow civic space and have a negative impact on humanitarian efforts that are critical for Yemenis,” Grundberg said.
“I call on Ansar Allah to do the right thing and immediately and unconditionally release these detainees and to refrain from further arbitrary detentions,” he added.
Since 2021, the Houthis have detained 17 UN staff members. The Organization emphasizes that the rights of detainees must be respected, and they must be able to contact their families and lawyers.
UN rejects Houthi accusations
The United Nations on Tuesday strongly rejected accusations by the Houthis that some UN agencies and their partners were conspiring to destroy the country’s education system.
UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a briefing in New York that “such false claims are baseless and further threaten the safety of staff and prevent us and our partners from serving the people of Yemen.”
The accusations were leveled against the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), UNESCO and their partners.
Dujarric stressed that the goal of the UN agencies’ work is to help Yemen overcome its grave crisis. More than half of the country’s population – or about 19 million people – depend on humanitarian aid. 4.5 million children are out of school.
UNICEF and its partners have provided critical support to the country’s education system, including payments to tens of thousands of teachers and the rehabilitation of more than 770 schools. The Fund also provided school bags and educational materials to more than half a million children and ensured regular school meals for more than 600,000 students.
The destabilizing impact of the war in Gaza
Continuing his briefing to the Security Council, the Special Envoy for Yemen stressed that the ongoing war in Gaza and the associated regional escalation are undermining his efforts to resolve the conflict in Yemen.
“I join Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo’s recent call for an immediate ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages, and a massive increase in humanitarian assistance in Gaza,” he said. he.
Grundberg noted the destabilizing consequences of the war in Gaza for the region, including for Yemen. The Houthis have continued to attack ships in the Red Sea, threatening regional stability and international maritime security. In response, the United States and Great Britain have continued to strike military targets inside Yemen.
Of particular concern, according to the Special Envoy, is the recent attack by Ansar Allah on the oil tanker Sounion, which was sailing in the Red Sea under the Greek flag, which created the threat of an oil spill and an environmental disaster of unprecedented proportions.
“An oil spill of this magnitude would have dire consequences for both Yemen and the entire region. I therefore express my gratitude to those Member States, particularly from the region, who are currently racing against time to carry out an urgent rescue operation,” Grundberg said.
He called on Ansar Allah to stop attacks on civilian vessels in the Red Sea and beyond.
The threat of a return to full-scale war
Grundberg noted that the situation inside Yemen is not improving. Military actions along the front line continue. In addition, there has been an escalation of rhetoric between the warring parties.
Commenting on the current dynamics, Grundberg stressed that “the threat of a return to full-scale war still exists.”
The humanitarian situation is worsening
Amid the military actions, the humanitarian situation in Yemen, according to the acting UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Msui, is steadily worsening.
62 percent of surveyed households report that they do not have enough food. “This is a historically high figure,” Msuya said.
More than 600,000 children in Yemeni government-controlled areas are estimated to be suffering from acute malnutrition by the end of 2024.
“Time is of the essence if we are to avert catastrophe. The UN, together with international and local non-governmental organizations, is committed to a comprehensive approach that addresses the underlying drivers of the crisis, including disease outbreaks and poor water, sanitation and hygiene,” Msuya said.
The support of the international community will be needed to scale up UN operations