Government official accuses foreign organizations of seizing donor funds in Yemen

A responsible source in the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation in the legitimate government confirmed that some foreign non-governmental organizations have practiced fraud to seize donor funds and control a large part of the humanitarian aid directed to those affected by the crisis in Yemen.

The source explained in a special statement to Asharq Al-Awsat that many non-governmental organizations, which do not have actual activities in any of the countries or have not obtained licenses to practice their activities in their countries of origin, have exploited the current situation in Yemen after the Houthi coup and the ongoing war, to present themselves as relief organizations with the aim of obtaining donor funds.

The source also expressed his surprise at the way in which these organizations are enabled to plunder aid directed to the Yemeni people, despite the ease of verifying their activities and seriousness through simple investigation mechanisms.

He pointed out that the Yemeni government has discovered many of these organizations and stopped dealing with them, and even revoked their licenses in the liberated areas. However, many of these organizations are still active in areas controlled by the Houthis without supervision.

A recent Yemeni report on the provision of humanitarian aid in the country revealed a major crisis that hinders the delivery of effective support to those affected.

The report pointed out the absence of real partnerships between foreign non-governmental organizations and local civil society organizations, which led to a lack of trust between the two parties, noting that foreign organizations have come to completely control decision-making processes, which has contributed to marginalizing the role of local organizations and limiting their independence.