Sana’a restructures humanitarian work under national coordination, implementation mechanism: Report

Sana’a restructures humanitarian work under national coordination, implementation mechanism: Report

[Fri, 01 Aug 2025 15:56:32 +0300]

Sana’a – Saba:
Amid worsening humanitarian conditions and mounting challenges caused by the ongoing aggression and blockade, the need has emerged to strengthen partnerships between local organizations and relevant authorities. The goal: to ensure an effective humanitarian response that respects national sovereignty and is based on cooperation rather than dependency.

Yemen is experiencing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis due to the continued U.S.-Saudi-Emirati aggression and blockade for over a decade, compounded by a growing disengagement by UN and international organizations from fulfilling their humanitarian responsibilities.

This comes as the UN Secretary-General decided to halt developmental projects in areas administered by the Government of Change and Development and suspend UN activities in Sa’ada. Such actions have amplified the urgency to localize humanitarian work and empower local organizations as effective alternatives for delivering services and implementing projects.

With most international organizations shutting their offices in the northern governorates and funding dwindling, a wide-ranging humanitarian forum was held in the capital Sana’a to discuss these challenges and enhance coordination of national efforts in humanitarian operations.

The Yemeni News Agency (Saba) attended the forum and gathered insights from participants on the importance and timing of the event.

Foreign Minister Jamal Amer described the forum as a crucial opportunity for exchanging views between the government and UN organizations and for resolving issues that have suffered from misunderstanding or neglect by various entities.

He reassured international organizations, including those affiliated with the UN, that rumors of upcoming actions targeting their staff or entities are baseless, unfounded, and intended to sow discord between the Yemeni government and UN personnel.

Amer stressed the government’s clear and consistent cooperation with the UN, as directed by the revolutionary leadership and aligned with the Change and Development Government’s program.

He noted the establishment of a Legal Support Department within the International Cooperation Sector of the Foreign Ministry to facilitate communication and coordination between the Ministry and international organizations.

Deputy Minister for International Cooperation Ambassador Ismail al-Mutawakil described the forum as a significant step toward a more mature and dignified humanitarian partnership. He expressed hope that the outcomes of the forum would open new horizons and serve as a roadmap toward a fairer and more effective humanitarian effort.

Al-Mutawakil said that the forum, held in three phases with UN, international, and local organizations, addressed the humanitarian situation in the country and the implications of international organizations withdrawing and closing their offices in northern provinces, seeking actionable solutions.

He added that these developments, occurring amid extraordinary circumstances and escalating humanitarian needs, point to a politically motivated withdrawal that contradicts the declared humanitarian principles of neutrality, humanity, and impartiality.

Al-Mutawakil reaffirmed the government’s commitment to localizing humanitarian work and the Foreign Ministry’s pledge to support local organizations, in cooperation with international agencies and donors, by designing a joint program with OCHA and relevant government bodies for capacity-building and community empowerment.

Ambassador Mohammed al-Sadah, Head of International Organizations at the Foreign Ministry emphasized that the forum reflects the state’s and the Change and Development Government’s efforts to rebuild trust with international and UN organizations.

He highlighted the political motivations behind the withdrawal of several international organizations, especially in response to Yemen’s unwavering stance of solidarity with Gaza — a position that caused many donors to align with the American agenda.

Al-Sadah said the forum outlined a new framework for coordination between the Yemeni government and UN organizations, and established regulations for international NGOs to ensure they adhere to signed agreements and core humanitarian principles: neutrality, humanity, and independence.

He revealed plans to gradually localize humanitarian work, phasing out international and non-governmental organizations whose operations lack genuine humanitarian focus. He emphasized that Yemenis aspire to end the aggression and lift the blockade, which would enable national capacity-building and reduce dependence on foreign organizations.

Al-Sadah also lamented that international organizations’ positions are increasingly influenced by American hostile policies. “We do not place our hopes in international organizations,” he said, “but rather in local institutions and the unity of Yemenis to advance local development and live with dignity, free from external control.”

Director of Emergency and Displacement at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor Naji Azman,identified major challenges facing displaced persons, including limited aid in the face of rising displacement, the withdrawal of organizations — particularly UN agencies — reduced funding, lack of support, and the UN’s neglect of a safe return strategy for IDPs.

He spoke about service gaps across sectors due to funding cuts, leading to increased hunger, collapsed livelihoods, and the transformation of some displacement camps into hotspots for disease and epidemics.

Programs Director at the Yemeni Women’s Union Iman al-Hamzi criticized the withdrawal of most international and UN organizations from northern governorates, describing it as a severe blow to humanitarian response and leaving thousands of families — especially female-headed households, children, the displaced, and persons with disabilities — without support.

She noted that local organizations faced an unprecedented drop in humanitarian funding in 2024 and 2025, compounding humanitarian, environmental, and economic pressures on Yemenis.

Al-Hamzi viewed the forum as an opportunity to assess the challenges facing local organizations, find solutions, and review funding mechanisms to ensure transparency, equitable distribution, and alignment with actual needs.

She called for effective policies to localize humanitarian work by empowering local organizations and enhancing their role in planning, implementation, and evaluation, to ensure continued delivery of humanitarian services to the most affected populations. She also emphasized simplifying donor procedures for local organizations, particularly in project design and approval stages, and focusing on infrastructure and emergency response funding.

National Coordinator of the Water and Sanitation Cluster at the Ministry of Electricity, Energy, and Water Tawfiq al-Haroush highlighted the impact of the aggression, blockade, and U.S. classification measures in halting water and sanitation projects previously supported by UN and international agencies.

He confirmed that reduced funding and the withdrawal of several organizations led to a decline in project implementation and service delivery, including water and sewage systems.

Meanwhile, Director of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Health and Environment Murtada al-Murtada outlined the consequences of reduced funding from UN and international organizations, and donor failure to meet their commitments to health facilities and medical services across governorates.

He urged the UN and its agencies, as well as international organizations, to fulfill their humanitarian responsibilities toward Yemen’s health sector and provide the necessary support to improve the country’s medical systems.

With the outcomes and directives produced, the expanded humanitarian forum in Sana’a lays the groundwork for a new phase of humanitarian work in Yemen — one centered on localizing aid, empowering domestic actors, and fostering independent national coordination, ensuring humanitarian response aligns with Yemen’s own priorities and sovereignty.

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