WFP: Our Office in Sana’a Remains Under Houthi Control and Staff Detentions Continue
Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) stated that its office in the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, remains under the control of the Houthi group, while the group continues to detain 29 of its staff members since the beginning of this year.
In its latest report, the WFP said that all of its operations and humanitarian activities in areas controlled by the Houthis remain completely suspended. It confirmed that its staff have been unable to access the office, which was stormed by Houthi members in late August.
The report indicated that the suspension of activities includes the distribution of food and cash assistance, school feeding programs, and fuel services, due to what it described as “serious operational challenges” facing humanitarian work in northern Yemen.
The program added that 29 of its employees are still being arbitrarily detained by the Houthis since the start of the year, with no information available regarding their conditions or the reasons for their detention.
The report did not address the recent abductions of nine UN employees last week, including two female WFP staff members.
Earlier, the Houthis’ chief negotiator, Mohammed Abdulsalam, said that he had discussed with UN Special Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg — in the Omani capital Muscat and in the presence of Moein Shreim, the UN official tasked with the issue — the situation of humanitarian organization workers detained in Sana’a on charges of involvement in “espionage cells.”
Abdulsalam stated, “We affirmed that, in principle, there is no interest in detaining anyone working with humanitarian organizations without justification. We presented to them the information provided by security authorities in Sana’a regarding the subversive activities carried out by the detainees.”
He added that “the relevant authorities are ready to present evidence and documents proving their involvement in espionage activities under the guise of humanitarian work. This is why Sana’a protests against organizations being used as a cover for espionage activities on behalf of hostile countries, which undermines confidence in their licensed humanitarian work.”
He continued, “Despite what has happened, we emphasized our commitment to finding fair and just solutions and maintaining coordination that allows organizations to continue their humanitarian and relief work in line with their mandates, while preventing any future violations that could compromise the country’s security.”
The UN Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, last visited Sana’a in January, while his last publicly announced meeting with Abdulsalam took place on April 24.
