The UN said the ‘extraordinary and temporary measure’ was taken to ensure the safety and security of its personnel.The United Nations has temporarily paused all operations in Yemen’s Saada region after Houthi authorities detained eight more of its staff, a UN spokesman said.
“This extraordinary and temporary measure seeks to balance the imperative to stay and deliver with the need to have the safety and security of the UN personnel and its partners guaranteed,” UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Monday.
“Such guarantees are ultimately required to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of our efforts,” Haq said.
Seven UN agencies currently operate in Saada – a Houthi stronghold in Yemen’s north – including the World Food Programme, the World Health Organization and the children’s agency UNICEF.
Haq said he could not say how many people in Yemen would be affected by the pause in UN operations, but said the world body remains “fully committed to assist the millions of people in need” across the country.
“This pause is to give time to the de facto authorities and the United Nations to arrange the release of arbitrarily detained UN personnel and ensure that the necessary conditions are in place to deliver critical humanitarian support,” he said. Advertisement
The Houthis, who did not immediately acknowledge the UN’s decision, have detained dozens of UN staff since 2021, and the group had at least 24 people in detention before the latest ar …