Humanitarian Situation in Yemen

On 23 September, UN Humanitarian Coordinator Lise Grande released a statement warning that 15 of the UN’s 41 major humanitarian programs in Yemen have already been reduced or shut down and 30 more will be in coming weeks unless additional funding is received. “It’s an impossible situation,” said Grande. “This is the worst humanitarian crisis in the world yet we don’t have the resources we need to save the people who are suffering and will die if we don’t help.”

Also on 23 September, Sweden and the European Commission convened a high-level side event on Yemen’s humanitarian crisis as part of UN General Assembly meetings. The focus of the meeting was broadly on the impact of a lack of funding on the humanitarian response, and the correlated risks around famine, as well as strong pushes from the UN, INGOs and Member States to find a political solution to the conflict. There were some commitments of new funding, with the Netherlands announcing EUR 8.5M for the response and EUR 4.6M for Covid response in Yemen. Norway referenced recent commitment of USD 23M. Canada has committed CAD 40M in unearmarked funds. UK announced additional GBP 30M. Japan referenced USD 41M committed in June. USAID referenced USD 195M that had been committed earlier this month.

Heavy flooding in Hodeidah, Hajjah, Amran, Sana’a, and remote regions resulted in the loss of 13 lives, damage to infrastructure in several areas, damage to homes and the uncovering of landmines. Central regions were also severely affected by heavy floods as Marib dam overflowed for the first time since its construction in 1986, with local media reporting 21 deaths. The flooding in Marib will likely worsen the humanitarian situation in terms of sanitation in an area already battling with intense conflict. Flooding in August has already destroyed 2,429 acres of crops and left 2000 acres submerged in water. According to pro-Southern Transitional Council (STC) local media, 15 civilians lost their lives in the floods.

Conflict and Political Developments in Yemen

Ansar Allah (AA) made gains in Marib after IRG-Y experienced territorial losses in a number of districts. The hostilities intensified from three directions, al-Jawf from the north, Sana’a to the west, and Al Bayda to the south of Marib.  Infighting among the IRG-Y continued in the al-Hujariah area, south of Taiz, as the Islah group tried to consolidate its power over the governorate. There was infighting inside Taiz city itself, between pro-Islah militias, and the general security situation remained volatile.

Two days after progress on the Riyadh Agreement was announced, STC and IRG-Y forces clashed near STC-controlled Zunjubar (Abyan’s capital, west of the governorate). The STC claimed that IRG-Y initiated the attack on its positions, leading the latter to retaliate, resulting in the use of heavy weaponry and shelling. Elsewhere in the south, both the STC and the Southern National Coalition (pro-IRG) organised protests in Abyan, Shabwah, and Socotra, drawing large crowds.

A high-level ministerial meeting on Yemen took place on 17 September at UNGA. UN Secretary-General Guterres addressed the event, urging the warring parties to cease hostilities and engage in the political process led by Special Envoy Martin Griffiths. A joint communiqué was released around this event from the governments of Germany, Kuwait, Sweden, UK, US, China, France, Russia and the EU, which highlighted the urgent need for political progress in Yemen’s conflict.

Special Envoy Griffiths addressed the UN Security Council on 15 September, warning that the country seems to be moving away from the road to peace, with increased fighting, greater humanitarian needs and the COVID-19 pandemic still taking its toll. At this point, Griffiths said, the parties must choose in order to find a solution and finalize a joint declaration that reflects and balances the comments from prior rounds of talks. “If Ma’rib falls, this would undermine prospects of convening an inclusive political process,” he warned. He expressed deep concern about the humanitarian impact of fuel shortages in Ansar Allah-controlled parts of northern Yemen and that group’s decision to close Sana’a airport to humanitarian flights. UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mark Lowcock, also briefed the Council and stated that the spectre of famine has returned. He also highlighted the high number of civilian casualties, the difficulties for humanitarian access (including the closure of Sana’a airport and the wider operating environment), the severe funding gap and the imminent consequences of the fuel shortages.

Five civilians were injured when a military projectile launched by AA hit a village in Saudi Arabia’s southern Jazan region, Saudi state media reported on Saturday. State news agency SPA quoted a civil defence spokesman as saying three cars were damaged in the border village and that the five civilians suffered minor injuries from shrapnel. There was no confirmation of the attack by AA.

Yemen’s Fuel Crisis

The fuel crisis continued in areas under the control of AA with a slight improvement in availability and prices of petrol and diesel, yet with 19 vessels not allowed to enter into Red Sea Ports. Prices of petrol and diesel in IRG areas have increased by 35 percent.  Fuel prices continued to take a heavy toll on the service sector, and AA announced the depletion of diesel stocks in Hodeidah port.

Sana’a airport remains closed under claims that there is not enough fuel stocks to operate it, but there are concerns that the humanitarian response is being used as a bargaining tool as part of the negotiations on fuel. AA also threatened to cut telecommunications for humanitarian agencies, as another tool to put pressure on the UN (and in particular the Special Envoy) to provide them with a better positioning in the fuel negotiations. As a result, HCT INGOs asked the EDG to call on an emergency IASC meeting. As of 17 September, the airport closure for humanitarian flights had delayed the arrival of over 100 metric tonnes of humanitarian cargo, including polio vaccines.

Economic Decline Continues in Yemen

The Yemeni rial continued to depreciate in areas under the control of the IRG-Y during September, marking a new all-time trough value of YER 800/USD 1. The exchange rate in areas under the control of AA was static. The cumulative increase in food prices in 2020 remains concerning. However, monthly inflation in food prices slowed down in IRG areas. Inflation in the cost of the Minimum Food Basket has already crossed the 2018 crisis level benchmark by 15 percent and reached YER 6,318/person/month in IRG areas. Purchasing power is gradually eroding; 58 percent of households with poor food access reported in July that unemployment or reduced wages are key shocks for them

Recently, the Central Bank of Yemen issued a demand that Lebanon find a solution to the international accounts of Yemeni banks in Lebanon, which according to Lebanese media sources amounts to USD 300 million.

In further developments, the Southern Transitional Council announced the transformation of its Supreme Economic Council into an "advisory unit" concerned with economic affairs, in line with its walk back from the earlier “self-administration” announcement.