The UN Security Council has called for ports in Yemen to remain open to allow commercial and humanitarian imports to reach people in need of them.
The Council said it recognised that the UN estimated that 22.2m people were now in need of humanitarian assistance in Yemen and stressed that ports including Hodeida and Saleef should remain operational, despite the ongoing crisis caused by the civil war.
A presidential statement said that “the Security Council calls for the full and sustained opening of all Yemen’s ports, including Hodeida and Saleef ports, and stresses the importance of keeping these functioning and open to all commercial and humanitarian imports, including food, fuel and medical imports.”
Aid efforts
It also noted the recent delivery of four World Food Programme cranes to Hodeida port, as well as plans to install four additional cranes in Mokha, Aden and Mukalla ports.
The statement said the council was concerned about the “impact that access restrictions on commercial and humanitarian imports have on the humanitarian situation, and calls on the parties to immediately facilitate access for these essential imports into the country and their distribution throughout in order to reach the entire civilian population.”
In November, the Saudi-led military coalition fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen said it would allow humanitarian aid access through Hodeidah. This followed a UN order for commercial ships to leave Hodeidah and Saleef after the coalition pledged to close all transport avenues to stop arms reaching the opposition.
