The U.S. designation of Houthi Yemen rebels as ‘terrorists’ could also block the flow of much-needed aid, groups say.
The UN’s humanitarian leader has urged the United States to reverse its decision to designate Houthi Yemen rebels as a “terrorist” group, warning that the designation would lead to “severe famine”. a scale we have not seen for almost 40 years “.
Mark Lowcock made the claim in a speech to the UN Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday.
On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared Houthis an “foreign-backed terrorist organization” with Iranian support and said the assignment would take effect on January 19, the last full day of office. President Donald Trump before Joe Biden is installed as president.
Aid agencies and a former Republican have also warned that the move could have devastating humanitarian effects on the conflict-ridden country at risk of famine.
Lowcock said data shows that 16 million of Yemen’s 30 million people will go on hunger this year.
“Already, there are about 50,000 people starving to death in what really is a small famine,” he said. “Another five million are just one step behind.”
Stressing the so-called “terrorist” companies are withdrawing from dealing with Yemenis, Lowcock warned that famine will not be curtailed by the permits the U.S. has said it will introduce to can some humanitarian and import assistance continue to reach Yemen.
“What would stop it? Contrary to the decision, ”said Lowcock, noting that Yemen account for 90 percent of their food, almost all of which are purchased through commercial channels, so no helpers can be enough to stop the hunger.
The U.S. designation of the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization could be the last straw to advise Yemen into not only a small famine, but a very large one.
📺 Please check in on Thursday, 10:00 am EST while I give information about @UN Security Advice: https://t.co/MmQTQcdgkQ
– Mark Lowcock (@UNReliefChief) 13 January 2021
“Aid groups give vouchers or money to people to buy commercially imported food on the market. Aid agencies cannot – cannot – replace the commercial import system, ”he said.
‘Cooling effect’
The Yemeni war began in late 2014 when the Houthis captured much of the country, including the capital, Sanaa.
Conflict escalated in March 2015 when Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates rallied a U.S.-backed arms coalition in an effort to overthrow President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s government.
What Saudi leaders thought would be a swift military intervention has turned into a protracted conflict that caused the spread of disease, destroyed much of the country’s infrastructure and pushed millions of people to starvation. .
Both sides have been charged with war crimes during the fighting that killed tens of thousands of people.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) also raised concerns about the U.S. designation, saying it feared the move would have a “cold impact” on delivering vital aid to sick and hungry civilians.
ICRC executive director Dominik Stillhart said on Thursday that the group had urged states to take such measures to consider “humanitarian sculpting” to the detriment of numbers and support. without compromising bias.
The statement was issued on his return from the country after three ICRC employees were killed in an attack on Aden airport on 30 December.