The recently announced Saudi aid package to Yemen will not solve Yemen’s humanitarian needs unless it also allows for unhindered entry of commercial and humanitarian food, fuel and other vital supplies in through all of Yemen’s ports, including Hodeida, NRC said today.NRC also called on the coalition to ensure that all aid delivery is in line with long-standing humanitarian principles.
“Increased resources and efforts that will bring more aid to Yemeni civilian are welcome,” Jan Egeland said. “But if the Saudi-led Coalition really wants to relieve the suffering in Yemen, it should completely lift the blockade on commercial imports, including fuel, that is crippling the country.”
On January 22, Saudi authorities announced the Yemen Comprehensive Humanitarian Operations plan, which pledges significant additional humanitarian funding for Yemen’s humanitarian response. The announcement also outlined plans to increase the capacity of several ports servicing Yemen and to establish safe overland transportation routes. While the announcement says that the aim of the efforts is to increase imports to Yemen, it is not clear what restrictions will still be in place on commercial imports coming through Hodeida, Yemen’s most important sea port.
“Increased resources and efforts that will bring more aid to Yemeni civilian are welcome,” Jan Egeland said. “But if the Saudi-led Coalition really wants to relieve the suffering in Yemen, it should completely lift the blockade on commercial imports, including fuel, that is crippling the country.”
On January 22, Saudi authorities announced the Yemen Comprehensive Humanitarian Operations plan, which pledges significant additional humanitarian funding for Yemen’s humanitarian response. The announcement also outlined plans to increase the capacity of several ports servicing Yemen and to establish safe overland transportation routes. While the announcement says that the aim of the efforts is to increase imports to Yemen, it is not clear what restrictions will still be in place on commercial imports coming through Hodeida, Yemen’s most important sea port.
