UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock said that Yemen was witnessing the world’s biggest humanitarian operation, valuing the role of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in implementing the humanitarian response plan and the living conditions of the Yemeni people.
He stressed that efforts were deployed to verify that humanitarian aid entering Yemen did not include weapons or prohibited materials, noting that all vessels passing through Yemeni ports were currently subject to a mechanism of verification and inspection.
Speaking during a press conference held in the presence of Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Al Jaber and Dr. Sultan Al Shamsi, Assistant Foreign Minister of the UAE for International Cooperation for Development, Lowcock said: “Our talk about the humanitarian situation in Yemen has been positive and fruitful.”
He added that an agreement was reached on the need to deliver aid to as many Yemenis as possible, in line with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy’s plan for the benefit of the Yemeni people.
“In May 2018, the United Nations provided food aid to 7.5 million Yemenis and 6.3 million other items, including water, and we appreciate the cooperation with all parties,” he said.
The UN official explained that the Humanitarian Response Plan of 2018 was funded by Saudi Arabia and the UAE by about 900 million dollars, and Kuwait by about 250 million dollars, in addition to the support of the United Nations and the European Union.
Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Al-Jaber, Executive Director of “Isnad” Center for Comprehensive Humanitarian Operations in Yemen, said: “The meeting was positive and fruitful. What I heard today is that there has been a significant improvement in the performance of the UN agencies and a significant improvement in the humanitarian situation.”
“We are saying very clearly that the main reason for the current deterioration in the humanitarian situation in Yemen is the Iran-backed Houthi militias that are usurping power in Sanaa,” he noted, adding that the militias have rejected the political solution, which has consequently prolonged the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
