UN relief chief: Yemen could be the conflict that will be resolved

Under-Secretary-General (USG) for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths’ remarks at press conference at the High-level Pledging Event for the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen

Thank you everybody for being here. But particular thanks to Carl [Carl Skau, Deputy Director-General, Head of Department for Multilateral Partnerships, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden], and Andrea [Andrea Studer, Assistant Director General, Head of Middle East and North Africa - Europe Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland] and to Switzerland and Sweden.

This is the seventh such high-level launch, and I think you have been guiding us through those many events. It is rather sad. I think it is the seventh. But it is a very, very important one indeed, Yemen is close to all our hearts, as you would know.

It is one of the most severe humanitarian crises. Yemen always used to claim that it was the most, the largest humanitarian crisis in the world. And I think it depends how you calculate it, by any standards, it is enormously important. We are looking at more than 21.7 million people this year in Yemen in need of humanitarian assistance, and of those we are targeting in this humanitarian response plan, about 17 million. Last year, the 2022 plan, we received thanks to the generosity of Governments like those here and others, over $2.2 billion on a $4.3 billion budget. Again, we are looking for about the same amount this year: $4.3 billion.

And I would just say two more things before returning the floor to Andrea, and that is, number one: there has been a truce in Yemen [last] year. And a rare piece of good news for those interested in the solution of conflicts. And as I was being told just before coming in, this is a truce which has been negotiated for its renewal, but de facto, many of its provisions are continuing to obtain the decrease in military operations, increase in the health of the people of Yemen and better access, not perfect a long way to go. Secondly: the issue of the economy. We talked about it, I think in previous such launches, it was a constant theme when I was in the position of Special Envoy for Yemen. I would like to take note of the extraordinary generous, $1 billion provision of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Yemen economy to the central bank in recent days. That is very important.

And finally, I would say this, I think you will join me in wishing Hans Grunberg, the extraordinary Special Envoy for Yemen, all success. His success is the one that we are all looking for for the people of Yemen. Thank you.

RIA Novosti: How does the UN explain that Ukraine has received a total of about $150 billion of aid of all kinds in one year, and at the same time that Yemen still not have funds, still not have help from the richest countries? And what the UN can do to interest Western countries in the conflict of Yemen and the reconstruction and the financial and the aid? Even before the war in Ukraine, Western countries were not interested in this conflict. And we are not saying the same things, the funds that they need in Yemen.

USG Griffiths: I was the UN Special Envoy for Yemen for three years. I did not notice any lack of interest from Western countries. We have the Swedish envoy with us, so there you have in person an expression of that interest. And it was always very important. The Permanent Members of the Security Council, ambassadors, we met all the time. But we also met with key Member States. The region, in particular, vital importance, and we see that in the context of the negotiations of the truce, and, also continuing contacts with Ansar Allah in different ways from those countries.

I think Yemen is a chance for a conflict to be actually resolved. That's why I agree with Carl, let’s hope that this is the last time we will be together in this room. And for that reason, if for no other, international attention is of the highest importance, because it is always the case that there is just a line between the level of international attention which is your question and international resolution, Yemen deserves it. It has been too long. Thank you.

Alaraby TV: So, what do you expect that the impact of the Saudi deposit will be on the Yemeni currency? And also, it seems that there are some attacks on the oil terminal on the Red Sea? What is your message to parties on regarding these attacks? Because it has a great impact on many resources in Yemen.

USG Griffiths: Of course, attacks on those vessels, attacks on those facilities that you describe should not happen. What we all want, and what I particularly would say in my current position, as Emergency Relief Coordinator, is indeed, open access through all the ports of Yemen, including Hodeidah, of the necessary goods, including fuel, foodstuffs. And now, I think even some other recent vessel has entered with the approval of UNVIM [UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism] out of Djibouti. That is good news. The more of that the better.

You do not have to be a supporter of Ansar Allah to believe in the importance of supplies coming in to reduce the cost for the people in Yemen. Yemen, as we know, depends on inputs for its survival, always has. I am, however, not able to answer your first point in specific terms, but there is no doubt that that level of money going into the central bank will have a very beneficial effect on the Rial. And there is a direct relationship, as you know, between the level of the Rial and people's managing survival, because the cost of their household reduces. So, it is an infusion into the mainstream of the Yemen economy, and it is hugely important.

New York Times: I wondered if you could just update us a little bit on the hunger situation and the extent to which, you know, how much of this $4.3 billion budget is supposed to address, specifically the issues of hunger? And if you do not get, you know, the kind of level of funding? How much in jeopardy will that leave the people who you are currently feeding? And I want to also just as a second point, is there still a risk of a major environmental disaster over this tanker sitting on the coasts? Is the UN now in a position to actually move on that one?

USG Griffiths: On hunger, I do not have the specific figures, but I would note, we were talking about it just before coming in, that due to work last year, generously supported, we pulled back from famine. There is no IPC [Integrated Food Security Phase Classification] 5 in Yemen, in this coming year. That is quite remarkable because famine has been on the agenda for Yemen, in for many years. Hunger, yes, but maybe famine no. That does not mean to say, by the way, that Yemen does not suffer from climate change, floods being the, you know, the chosen climate change problem for Yemen. But clearly, food security, I think we were feeding up to 11 million people, during the latter part of last year is of huge importance and the rations had to be cut. Nevertheless, I think the World Food Program was able to clearly target it in a way that we have a slightly better position this year. But it is IPC 4, it is still very close, you know, close to what David Beasley would regard as knocking on famine’s door.

On the SAFER tanker, I remember this, I learned about the SAFER tanker, before I started my job as an envoy for Yemen. And it always struck me as being one of the most frightening prospects. And then we had the Beirut moment, as you know, a couple years ago, and it reminded us of this. We have raised with the generosity of Governments here, others, most of the cost of what it would take to shift the oil out of that SAFER tanker. But we are looking for the last portion of it and the different views as to how much it is, essentially, because the cost of buying a tanker has gone up as a result of the Ukraine war. So, the estimates had to go up. But we raised pledges of $95 million and received $75 million. We need to get that over the line. So that David Gressly and his team and UNDP [United Nations Development Programme] in particular, can get a secondhand tanker there, offload the oil into it and make that see safe. Thank you.