Al-Alimi reviews the measures required to mitigate the humanitarian impacts of classifying the Houthis as a terrorist organization

Last Thursday, Al-Alimi was briefed by the governor of the Central Bank on "a briefing on the executive procedures for classifying the Houthis, to dry up the sources of funding for terrorist militias, and prevent their access to resources that undermine local security and regional and international stability."

Al-Alimi stressed the need for "the government and its relevant institutions to commit to close cooperation with the Central Bank and the international community to implement punitive measures against the terrorist group, limit any negative repercussions on the Yemeni financial and banking sector, the interests of citizens, and reassure the humanitarian community of ensuring the flow of relief aid."

On Wednesday, Trump signed an executive order reclassifying the Houthis in Yemen as a “foreign terrorist organization,” a designation he had signed before the end of his first term and then rescinded by former President Joe Biden in 2021, before classifying it last year as a “specially designated global terrorist organization,” which is less stringent and allows humanitarian aid to enter Yemen.

The executive order issued by Trump stated that the Houthis "have launched numerous attacks on civilian infrastructure, including several attacks on civilian airports in Saudi Arabia," in addition to launching "more than 300 projectiles into Israel since October 2023."

He also considered that "as a result of the Biden administration's weak policy, the Houthis fired (attacks) on US Navy warships dozens of times, launched numerous attacks on civilian infrastructure in partner countries, and attacked commercial ships transiting the Bab al-Mandab more than 100 times."

According to the paper, “The executive order directs the Secretary of State (Marco Rubio), in consultation with others, to recommend redesignating the Houthis within 30 days,” noting that “under President Trump, it is now the policy of the United States to work with its regional partners to eliminate Houthi capabilities and operations, deny them resources, and thereby end their attacks on American personnel and civilians, U.S. partners, and shipping in the Red Sea.”

Regarding what this executive order means, the paper stated that it directs “the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Secretary of State to conduct a joint review of United Nations partners, non-governmental organizations, and contractors working in Yemen.”

After that, “the Administrator will direct USAID to end its relationship with entities that have paid the Houthis, or that have opposed international efforts to confront the Houthis, while turning a blind eye to Houthi terrorism and abuses.”

Source: Yemen Youth Net + Agencies