Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Joyce Msuya - Briefing to the Security Council on the Humanitarian Situation in Yemen (10 July 2023)

As prepared

Madam President [Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom, Dame Barbara Woodward],

I welcome the update provided by Hans [Grundberg] and echo his call for the parties to maintain the momentum gained so far. We cannot allow this opportunity to pass unseized.

I am pleased that David [Gressly] is joining us today to provide an update on the FSO Safer salvage operation and I would like to commend him for his exceptional efforts. Under his leadership, and in close coordination with our colleagues at the United Nations Development Programme, remarkable progress has been made to avert an environmental and humanitarian disaster.

Madam President,

As I have stressed in my previous briefings, humanitarian needs in Yemen will remain high for the foreseeable future.

This year, the humanitarian community seeks to reach 17.3 million people, out of a staggering 21.6 million people in need of assistance.

Migrants, asylum seekers and refugees are among the most vulnerable of these, and their numbers are growing.

The International Organization for Migration reports that in the first half of 2023, the number of migrants arriving in Yemen, over 77,000 people, increased sharply and approached pre-COVID levels. At this rate, the number of arrivals is expected to double compared to last year.

While not the largest vulnerable group in Yemen in terms of numbers, they face severe protection risks.

Migrants usually arrive to Yemen en route to better opportunities elsewhere. But, once in Yemen, they often face exploitation and violence, including extortion, abduction and physical abuse. The United Nations Refugee Agency reports that asylum seekers and refugees use the same routes, arrive in mixed flows with migrants, and face similar threats.

And women and girls are particularly at risk. IOM reports increased demand for responses to gender-based violence, as physical and sexual violence against migrant women and girls is routine.

Overall, the humanitarian community estimates that 300,000 migrants, asylum seekers and refugees need humanitarian assistance this year.

But these groups face limited, if any, access to health or social services, due to a lack of documentation and already strained public resources.

I call on the relevant parties to fulfil their obligations to meet the essential needs – such as health, food, water and shelter – of all civilians under their control.

As my previous briefs have made clear, internally displaced people also face a precarious reality in Yemen.

Recently, in the part of At Tuhayta district controlled by the Government of Yemen, some 6,000 IDPs in Al Hayma village, along with around 4,000 host community residents, have faced heightened insecurity in recent months, due to their proximity to the front lines. In May, an 8-year-old boy was killed and his sister injured by a mortar.

Since my last briefing and following productive engagement with the relevant authorities and the affected residents, the humanitarian community has now begun preparations to support those IDPs and other residents who wish to relocate from this area in hopes of a more stable, safer future for their families.

Madam President,

One of the main factors driving the immense level of humanitarian needs in Yemen is the deteriorating economic situation. Only by stabilizing the economy can we reduce the staggering number of people in need. In this regard, the long-overdue resumption of oil exports from Government-held areas is critical, including for paying public sector salaries.

The continued obstruction to the transport of commercial goods from Government- to Houthi-controlled areas must also be addressed. Commercial goods should able to flow throughout the country without hindrance. Beyond this, more must be done to generate incomes and improve people’s purchasing power as well as to ensure the provision of basic services. In the summer heat, enabling the continued provision of electricity is particularly important.

The United Nations is working with our donors and partners to address the underlying drivers of need and improve the economic situation, in line with the UN economic framework.

We are doing this by working through the humanitarian-development-peace nexus to improve targeting of development and humanitarian initiatives.

As part of this work, the United Nations is, for example, enhancing its presence in the divided city of Ta’iz to work with local authorities and communities to increase access to safe drinking water on both sides of the city and bolster socio-economic development.

Additionally, through the Yemen Partners Group, the UN and donors are identifying opportunities for more coordinated, sustainable initiatives across the country that will complement humanitarian action.

Madam President,

As we continue our work, our operations face ongoing and significant access constraints.

In areas under the control of the Houthi de facto authorities, restrictions on the movement of female national staff continue to impede our ability to carry out vital projects for women and girls. We also encounter delays in receiving authorization to carry out assessments and attempts to interfere in tendering processes.

In areas controlled by the Government of Yemen, authorities have begun processing work permits for international aid staff, after some delays. I encourage the authorities to continue with this positive trend.

We continue our advocacy with the relevant authorities to expand our operational space, so that people in Yemen are better able to receive the assistance they urgently need. I again call on the parties to fulfil their obligation to facilitate the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief.

Turning to funding: halfway through the year, our 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan is funded at just 29 per cent. The grim consequence of this is that some activities are forced to scale back. The World Food Program’s malnutrition treatment activities are operating at 40 per cent of the needs, and, in the absence of new contributions, by September it may be forced to cut as many as five million people from food assistance.

A lack of funding for safe shelter and other protection services limits our ability to support the migrant women and girls who I mentioned earlier. And gaps in funding for cash assistance risk leaving 1.3 million refugees and IDPs receiving assistance from UNHCR unable to cover their basic.

There are, sadly, many more examples.

On top of these challenges, staff security continues to be a significant concern. Five UN staff abducted in Abyan in February 2022 remain missing. In Sana’a, two UN staff remain detained since November 2021. We call for their immediate release, and for the protection of all humanitarian staff.

Madam President,

Yemen is poised for change.

As the political process progresses, we must remain vigilant and active on the humanitarian front.

With better funding and more access, we can expand our reach and improve the protection of civilians - but we also need to see support for measures to improve Yemen’s economy.

We count on this Council for your continued support.

Thank you.