HIGHLIGHTS
ERC O’Brien highlights depth of humanitarian crisis in Yemen at UN General Assembly event
GoUK, UN, and OIC announce an additional $100 million to support relief activities in Yemen
Violence escalates; NGO suspends operations due to increased insecurity
KEY DEVELOPMENTS
Conflict—including ground fighting between Republic of Yemen Government (RoYG) and Al Houthi forces, and airstrikes by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)-led Coalition —continued through mid-September, resulting in additional civilian deaths and further destruction of public infrastructure. Fighting has resulted in approximately 10,000 deaths since conflict began in March 2015, with KSA-led Coalition airstrikes accounting for nearly 60 percent of the reported deaths, according to UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (RC/HC) Jamie McGoldrick in media reports.
The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is among the worst in the world, according to remarks by UN Under-Secretary General and Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) Stephen O’Brien at an event during the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on September 21. O’Brien highlighted the need for safe humanitarian access and called on all parties to comply with international humanitarian and human rights law.
In an August 31 UN Security Council (UNSC) briefing, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed expressed concern about the breakdown of the cessation of hostilities agreement reached in April, noting that the escalation in fighting since early August has led to additional civilian casualties and increased humanitarian needs.
On September 18, RoYG President Abd Rabbu Mansur Hadi ordered the Central Bank of Yemen (CBY) to relocate from the Al Houthi-controlled capital city of Sana’a to the RoYG–held city of Aden. Relocation of the CBY could have humanitarian and economic consequences, according to international media.
On September 6, Médecins du Monde (MDM)—a non-governmental organization (NGO) providing emergency medical assistance to vulnerable populations in Ibb and Sana’a governorates—temporarily suspended operations and withdrew staff from Sana’a due to increased attacks. MDM is the second NGO to suspend activities in acutely conflict-affected areas in recent weeks; on August 18, Médecins Sans Frontières withdrew from six hospitals in Hajjah and Sa’dah due to insecurity.