Tom Fletcher (OCHA) on the situation in the Middle…

I thank the Special Envoy Grundberg for his briefing, and this Council for its sustained interest in Yemen.

A political solution remains the only path towards a better future for the people of Yemen. Every day without progress prolongs the suffering for millions of people. You have been clear as a Council: international humanitarian law is not optional. Civilians must be protected, and the infrastructure they rely on must not be targeted. You have been equally clear about the damaging impact of the detention of UN and NGO colleagues. They must be immediately released, without conditions.

Mr. President,

The food security crisis in Yemen has been steadily accelerating since late 2023. Today, more than 17 million people in Yemen are going hungry. That number could climb to over 18 million by September. Over one million children under the age of five are suffering from life-threatening acute malnutrition. That number could surge to 1.2 million by early next year, leaving many at risk of permanent physical and cognitive damage.

We haven't seen this level of deprivation since before the UN-brokered truce in early 2022. Communities in Hajjah, Hodeida and Amran governorates are sliding back into acute food insecurity and famine-like conditions. This deterioration is unfolding just as global funding is plummeting, reducing our ability to feed the most vulnerable men, women and children.

The funding gap is also extreme for life-saving health and protection services — especially for the 6.2 million women and girls facing the threat of gender-based violence. Support for survivors is severely under-resourced, putting countless lives at risk and pushing essential services to the brink of collapse.

Mr. President,

With support from this Council and our donors, we can turn this around, just as we have done in the past. My humanitarian colleagues on the ground are doing everything possible to save lives with the funding we have.

As part of the wider Humanitarian Reset, we have prioritized reaching the most vulnerable people and finding smarter, swifter ways to deliver aid. For example, we have been able to keep cholera in check by zeroing in on community-level awareness and hygiene promotion, while also targeting health and sanitation support to the most acute hotspots. As a result, cholera cases are down by over 70 percent compared to last year, a significant step forward in a country where cholera is a constant threat.

We are also implementing new strategies to sustain critical nutrition services. Through a new simplified protocol, our partners are maximizing the use of ready-to-use therapeutic food. As a result, more than 650,000 children with high-risk moderate acute malnutrition are receiving cost-effective, life-saving treatment, while over 3,200 health facilities will continue to provide quality healthcare to 7.2 million people in need, despite significant resource constraints.

Also aligned to the reset, we are empowering those closest and best placed to respond to the needs of the communities we serve. Sixty-five percent of allocations this year from the Yemen Humanitarian Fund have gone to local and national NGOs, a third to organizations led by women.

Mr. President,

As we noted last month, there are other signs of hope. Under the leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator, an agreement has been reached between local authorities on both sides of the front line in Taiz governorate to jointly manage water supply systems and restore access to water for tens of thousands of households after years of deprivation.

To accelerate people's access to safe water, the Yemen Humanitarian Fund is investing $2 million to connect 90,000 people—including displaced families—to reliable water networks. With the continued cooperation from the authorities and sustained support from our donors, we plan to scale up these efforts so that 600,000 people in Taiz can access clean water. Importantly, this means that these people will no longer have to depend on humanitarian support to meet their water needs.

Last month, we briefed this Council on another community-led breakthrough: the reopening of a key road between Aden and Sana'a, reconnecting communities, providing faster access to health and other essential services for many, and vastly reducing travel time between the two cities. I am happy to report that increased civilian and commercial traffic has resumed along this road for the first time in seven years. We are working with our partners to clear unexploded ordnance along this route, reducing risks for civilians.

Mr. President,

The people of Yemen continue to need this Council's support, as do humanitarian workers responding with such courage and tenacity.

Alongside support for the Special Envoy's efforts, we ask for:
– Increased funding now to scale up emergency food and nutrition support.
– Continued efforts to secure the immediate, unconditional release of detained UN, NGO and civil society colleagues.
– Active steps to uphold international humanitarian law to protect civilians, protect humanitarians and ensure access to those in need.

Thank you".