Statement On Behalf of the Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen Johannes Van Der Klaauw [EN/AR]

(Sana’a, 19 August 2015): I am extremely concerned by the deepening impact that the continued conflict in Yemen has on civilian populations. To date close to 4,500 people have been killed and a further 23,000 have been wounded, many of them civilians. We are witnessing that civilians are deprived of access to basic services and life sustaining commodities as the conflict rages on. Not only are civilians subject to acts of violence, as we have seen most prominently in Aden and Taizz, but civilian infrastructure critical to maintain basic services and the commercial sector is also being affected by all parties to the conflict.

I am extremely concerned that the port of Al Hudaydah, currently being the main conduit for commercial and humanitarian traffic, has been affected in the ongoing conflict. Serious damage to the port will potentially deprive millions of people of food and prevent importation of fuel which is necessary to run health facilities, flour mills and water and sanitation works.

The targeting and destruction of critical civilian infrastructure must stop. I appeal to all parties to pursue a dialogue through political means to end the war and the suffering of civilian populations.