UN Rejects 'False Allegations', Reducing Activities in Yemen After Houthi Campaign Against Humanitarian Workers

The United Nations has scaled back its activities in Yemen in response to a Houthi crackdown on staff working for the United Nations and other humanitarian, human rights, development and education organizations, aid officials said on Thursday.

The UN's acting humanitarian coordinator, Joyce Msuya, told the UN Security Council that the UN had taken steps "to reduce the exposure of staff to danger in Houthi-controlled areas."

She added that the United Nations has narrowed its focus to "essential, life-saving and sustainable activities" and is working to deprioritize broader activities to develop the Arab world's poorest country.

In June, the Houthis detained more than 60 people working with the United Nations and other organizations, according to the U.N. human rights office. Days later, the Houthis said they had arrested members of what they called an “American-Israeli spy network.” The Houthi claims could not be independently verified.

Msuya said the United Nations strongly rejects the “false allegations” made by the Houthis against humanitarian workers, including recent allegations of UN interference in Yemen’s education system.

“These allegations threaten the safety of staff, hinder the ability of the United Nations and its partners to serve the Yemeni people and must stop immediately,” she added.

Msuya and UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg reiterated Secretary-General António Guterres’ demand for the immediate release of all detainees, including UN staff, members of civil society, diplomatic missions, private sector workers and members of minority religious communities.

Grundberg said it has been more than 100 days since the Houthis launched a wave of arrests “targeting Yemenis engaged in critical humanitarian assistance efforts.”

The Houthi rebels have imprisoned thousands of people during the war, and in recent months they have intensified their crackdown on dissent at home, including recently sentencing 44 people to death.

Msuya warned that the humanitarian situation in Yemen is "steadily deteriorating" with 62% of households surveyed reporting that they do not have enough food, calling this a "historically high" figure.

“Three districts – two in Hodeidah and one in Taiz – are for the first time ever facing extremely critical levels of malnutrition – IPC Phase 5,” where famine exists, she added. “Four more districts are expected to reach this level by October.”

By the end of December, more than 600,000 children in government-controlled areas are estimated to be acutely malnourished, and about 118,000 children will be severely acutely malnourished – a 34% increase since 2023, Msuya said.

"Time is of the essence if we are to prevent a catastrophe," she added, stressing that the UN's humanitarian appeal to raise $2.7 billion for Yemen this year has only been 28% funded.

She also stressed that humanitarian workers need access. She said that direct interference by parties to humanitarian activities during the first seven months of the year was responsible for 217 incidents – a significant increase from the 169 incidents reported in all of 2023.

“When the minimum requirements for the safety and security of UN and other humanitarian personnel are met, we sincerely hope that we will be able to scale up programmes again,” Msuya said.

Source: Associated Press