UN Humanitarian Chief Stephen O’Brien to visit Yemen & Djibouti

WHO: Stephen O’Brien, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator
WHAT: Mission to Yemen and Djibouti
WHEN: 9-13 August 2015
WHERE: Sana'a, Aden, Amran; Djibouti

UN humanitarian chief Stephen O’Brien is scheduled to visit Yemen and Djibouti from 9 to 13 August to see for himself the catastrophic humanitarian impact of the conflict in Yemen, and assess measures needed to ensure aid agencies can scale up and meet people's growing needs.

Some 80 per cent of the Yemeni population - about 21 million people - now need some kind of humanitarian assistance and more than 1,895 civilians have been killed by fighting since March. More than 15 million people have no access to basic healthcare, while half the population do not have enough food to feed their families. The high number of civilian deaths and injuries is a shocking testament to the suffering and lack of protection faced by the civilians caught up in the violence.

Aid agencies need rapid, safe and predictable access to reach people with the basics they desperately need. USG O'Brien is expected to meet key officials in Sana'a and Aden to discuss ways of strengthening the aid operation to save lives and protect civilians. He hopes to meet families in Amran and Aden who have been displaced by the conflict. Mr. O’Brien is also expected to meet senior officials in Djibouti on his return.

Press encounters are expected to be held in Sana'a and Aden, details to be confirmed, and there will be other opportunities for interviews.

For further details of press conferences and other interview opportunities during the mission, please contact:

Philippe Kropf, OCHA Yemen, Cell +967 712222819, kropf@un.org
Amanda Pitt, OCHA New York, Cell +1 917 442 1810, pitta@un.org