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UN urges safeguards after U.S. reinstates terrorist designation for Houthis, warns of humanitarian risks in Yemen
Summary
A UN spokesperson said the U.S. decision to relist the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization is a unilateral decision but cautioned such designations should be paired with safeguards to protect humanitarian operations and commercial access to essential goods for civilians in Yemen.
The United Nations said a U.S. decision to reinstate a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) designation for Houthi forces is a unilateral action by the United States but emphasized that, at minimum, such measures must include safeguards and reassurances to protect humanitarian assistance and civilians’ access to commercially supplied goods.
At the press briefing a UN spokesperson noted that the designation is a decision by the U.S. government and said the UN’s primary focus remains saving lives and ensuring the continuation of life‑saving humanitarian activities. The spokesperson warned that if designation impedes humanitarian or commercial access to essential goods, it could have a devastating impact on already vulnerable populations in Yemen.
The briefing reiterated UN statistics on humanitarian need in Yemen cited by the spokesperson: roughly 19 million people need life‑saving assistance and around 17 million are at risk of hunger. The spokesperson also noted that Yemen imports an estimated 90 percent of its food supplies. The UN urged that any counter‑terrorism measures be accompanied by appropriate humanitarian safeguards to avoid further deterioration of civilian conditions.
