Statement of the Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, Jamie McGoldrick, during cessation of hostilities [EN/AR]

The agreement by all parties to the conflict in Yemen to cease all hostilities is a long awaited opportunity for humanitarian actors to reach areas of the country that have been inaccessible for the past months, as well as to continue ongoing aid and protection services.

There have been some recent positive developments in the ability of humanitarian actors to access hard-to-reach areas notably Taizz City, thanks to the efforts of the parties to the conflict. These efforts to facilitate assistance need to be unconditionally maintained. All parties to the conflict are expected to allow humanitarian actors to move and work freely and safely and for civilians to access much needed food and essential services.

UN agencies have updated their operational plans to make the best use of this humanitarian opportunity for service delivery to particular localities and have succeeded in reaching previously hard to reach areas with much needed humanitarian assistance. Additionally humanitarian agencies are undertaking independent needs assessments and project monitoring activities to scale up operations according to the findings. These latter two activities have been particularly challenging to date due to the lack of security guarantees and continuing hostilities.

The updated operational plans are based on the assumption and expectation that all parties to the conflict are committed and will guarantee safe access to humanitarian personnel and civilians during the entire period of cessation of hostilities and will play an active role in ensuring that all others adhere to this agreement.

Unhindered access to specific localities should not be conditional on a politically driven cessation of hostilities. Access should be provided to humanitarian actors by the parties to the conflict at all times and solely on the basis of the humanitarian imperative.

All assistance will be delivered in accordance with the humanitarian principles of impartiality, neutrality and independence, on the basis of human need, and without regard for political, religious, ideological or other considerations.

Philippe Kropf | Public Information Officer | United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) Yemen
Currently in Jordan - please use this number: +962 796656733
Mobile: +967 712222819 | Email: kropf@un.org
Web: www.unocha.org/yemen, http://yemen.humanitarianresponse.info | Twitter:@OCHAYemen OCHA - Coordination Saves Lives