While the UN suspension of official movement in Houthi areas raises concerns about the continuation of humanitarian work in Yemen, some believe that it constitutes a rare opportunity to correct the path of relief aid, and the activities of the UN agencies in the country.

Abdullah Al-Shadli (South24) 

The humanitarian crisis in Yemen has long been intertwined with political complexities. International aid doesn’t only serve as a lifeline for millions of Yemenis but also as a strategic tool which benefits different actors.

The latest UN and US measures, including suspending funds, halting operations, and designating the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, constitute a big shift in the humanitarian policy. These developments raise crucial questions about the sustainability of relief operations and the broader impact on regional stability.

The intersection between geopolitical maneuvers, counterterrorism policies, and humanitarian needs, underscores the fine balance between diplomatic strategies and the urgent relief efforts. This report tackles the developing scene of humanitarian aid in Yemen, the impact of international restrictions, and the possible paths to mitigate the crisis without exacerbating political tensions.

The Trump Administration’s Approach 

Within days of his return to the White House, Donald Trump issued a series of executive orders, reshaping the policies of the US’ foreign assistance.

One controversial move has been suspending the assistance delivered by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This has impacted vital initiatives such as ’Food for Peace' which is an annual $2billion program providing assistance to conflict-hit areas, including Yemen.

According to Dr. David Waring, Professor of International Relations in the University of Sussex, UK, these moves reflect an approach that prioritizes politics over humanitarian considerations. 

Dr. Waring told ’South24 Center‘: “The measures taken by the US Treasury such as imposing new sanctions or the designation of the Houthis can severely impede the flow of humanitarian aid into Houthi-held areas.” This raises questions about the need to strike a balance between political goals and humanitarian needs, according to him.

Regarding the redesignation of the Houthis as a terrorist organization, he said: “My strong sense is that the Trump administration has no interest in mitigating the humanitarian impact of this move. Indeed, I suspect that this is likely a deliberate attempt to impose humanitarian suffering on the population to gain leverage over the Houthis.”

He added that this constitutes a big challenge to humanitarian principles as the civilians’ needs should be prioritized regardless of political conflicts.

American Humanitarianism Scholar Dr. Emily Scott warned that the FTO designation could obstruct the current partnerships between relief organizations and local actors. She pointed out that “the impact is two-fold as it obstructs the ability of financial channels in delivering aid to the group while deterring international agencies from engaging in the Houthi-controlled areas. This consequently deepens the crisis”.

She stressed that “the redesignation of the Houthis (Ansar Allah) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization may lead to a crackdown on USAID’s former partners found to have worked with Houthi entities or having failed to denounce them”.

Scott indicated that “that USAID’s risk mitigation through partner vetting and third-party monitoring is extremely robust, with significant congressional oversight. As USAID’s Office of Inspector General has explained, halting funds halts that oversight”.

However, economic researcher Dr. Ehab Al-Qurashi downplayed the humanitarian implications of the FTO designation of the Houthis. 

Dr Ehab told ’South24 Center‘: "This decision doesn’t include the supply chains of food, health, and fuel products but focuses on restricting the freedom of travel for individuals affiliated with the Houthis and freezing their assets. These measures may be effective despite their possible impact on the Yemeni interests as a whole.” 

Al-Qurashi pointed out that the situation in Yemen has witnessed many changes as there are no longer any organizations that deal with the Houthis in the same way as before. According to him, the decline in funding and the suspension of the World Food Program's activities in the Houthi-held areas even prior to the US’ FTO decision, have had a large impact.

He stressed that the FTO designation of the Houthis could open new horizons for relief and development work in Yemen away from its link to the group. Al-Qurashi is optimistic about restructuring of the Supreme National Authority of Relief in Yemen, which he said will have positive effects if it is well organized. 

“This designation will allow the directing of aid through clear channels in order not to reach the Houthis who have transformed aid into tools for exerting control and fighting,” he added. 

Al-Qurashi believes that the Yemeni government-controlled areas which are suffering from an unprecedented economic crisis will benefit from the redesignation decision. “This will simultaneously increase the grassroot pressure in the Houthi-held areas,” he said. Al-Qurashi concluded that “These are the logical expectations of applying the decision.” 

The UN’s Steps

On January 24, the UN suspended all official movement in the Houthi-held areas after the militia kidnapped more UN employees. This decision highlights the growing concerns over security risks facing international employees. 

Later, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres ordered immediate suspension of all UN operations in Saada, a stronghold of the Houthis, following the detention of more UN employees, including one who later died in a Houthi prison. 

The UN statement stressed the need to “achieve a balance between the sustainability of providing assistance and the safety of the staff”, and urged the Houthis to release all detainees. 

While this step raises concerns about the continuation of humanitarian work in Yemen, some believe that it constitutes a rare opportunity to correct the path of relief aid, and the activities of the UN agencies in the country. This view is endorsed by the General Coordinator of the Supreme National Authority of Relief in the Yemeni government, Jamal Belfaqih. 

Belfaqih told ’South24 Center‘: "The presence of the main offices in the Houthi-held areas impedes humanitarian work and obstructs the efforts of humanitarian organizations amid the inability to reach those in need.”

Balfaqih commented on the US’ FTO designation of the Houthis at the end of Trump's first Presidential term（2021）when the Yemeni government had prepared a technical team, led by the planning minister, to tackle the impact. He added: “The Yemeni government was then ready to host the international organizations in the capital, Aden. However, the designation was revoked after Joe Biden took office, which has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis.”

Balfaqih disclosed the stance of the Yemeni government after the redesignation of the Houthis in the US’ first-class terrorist list. He pointed to “incoming measures, including moving the offices of international organizations to Aden, including the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). This is in addition to moving the funds of the organizations to the Central Bank in Aden in a way that will contribute to boosting the humanitarian work”.

He spoke about the importance of applying the principle of decentralization in humanitarian work along with making use of various land and maritime crossings to facilitate the flow of aid. He believes that restructuring the Supreme National Authority of Relief as a single entity will help in organizing humanitarian work and monitoring needs in a better way.

Balfaqih stressed that the funds received by the Central Bank in Aden will boost the economy. He added that Aden has submitted a plan in cooperation with the World Food Program (WFP) to build warehouses and a special port to receive aid and distribute it to all parts of Yemen.

He also called on the international community to support the legitimate government in order to establish the role of institutions, improve the path of humanitarian work, and link it to the development process to help fragile communities to confront poverty.

It’s worth mentioning that the January 22 White House Executive Order states that within 30 days of the order to designate the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, “the Secretary of State shall, after consultation with the Director of National Intelligence and the Secretary of the Treasury, submit a report to the President, through the National Security Council, regarding the FTO classification of the group”. 

Afterwards, “within 15 days after submitting the report, the Secretary of State shall take all appropriate action with regards to the designation”. The decision stipulated on conducting a review of the UN partners, nongovernmental organizations, and contractors through which USAID works in Yemen to identify any entities that made payments to the Houthis or dealt with them illegally.

After applying the designation, the projects or contracts involved in supporting the Houthis will be terminated. According to the US Treasury, such a move aims to cut off Houthi financial resources, reduce their operations, and protect international navigation. It stresses the importance of cooperating with regional allies to ensure the effective implementation of the decision.