The United Nations announced on Friday that it is re-evaluating its mode of operation in areas under the control of the Houthi rebels, following a series of violations and increasing restrictions targeting its staff and offices in recent years.
The Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, stated that the Houthis “have taken a number of steps since 2021 that have increased the difficulty of delivering humanitarian assistance to Yemenis.” He pointed out that these measures included storming and occupying UN premises, seizing its assets, and the repeated arbitrary detention of its staff.
Dujarric clarified that approximately 55 UN staff members are still being detained by the Houthis, including two who were recently arrested.
He added that these developments “are forcing the international organization to re-evaluate its mode of operation in those areas”.
The Houthis had also previously stormed other UN offices on August 31 and detained 11 staff members, according to official UN statements.
In recent months, fears have escalated within international humanitarian organizations working in Yemen regarding the deterioration of the humanitarian work environment in Houthi-controlled areas. Workers there face increasing harassment, restrictions on their movement, in addition to detention and unlawful interrogations.
The UN spokesperson affirmed that the organization “will not stop calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained staff,” noting that some of them have been out of contact for years.
He added that “humanitarian work must be conducted in a safe and neutral environment,” warning that the continuation of these practices “threatens to hinder the delivery of vital aid to millions of Yemenis who depend on it for survival.”