Guterres expresses deep concern over safety of UN staff, organizations and missions arbitrarily abducted by Houthis

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned on Monday the recent storming of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights office in Sana'a by the Houthis.

Guterres' spokesman said in a statement that the Houthis handed over the office today to the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen.

Guterres said he "remains deeply concerned about the safety of UN staff, members of civil society, national and international non-governmental organizations, diplomatic missions and private sector entities" arbitrarily detained by the Houthis for more than two months, calling for their immediate and unconditional release.

The UN Secretary-General reiterated the need to treat detainees with full respect for their human rights and to enable them to contact their families and legal representatives.

He added that the humanitarian and development situation in Yemen is dire, with more than 18 million people suffering from the repercussions of food insecurity, epidemics, displacement, damaged infrastructure and critical economic conditions.

He pointed out that the United Nations is working hard to address the effects of this situation on the people of Yemen, "but the safety of our staff must be ensured, and that the United Nations and its partners are not targeted, arrested or detained while carrying out their mandates."

On the humanitarian front, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs explained that the humanitarian team in Yemen is mobilizing its efforts, in coordination with partners and authorities, to respond to the devastating floods.

The UN office reported that heavy rains and widespread flooding that hit Yemen over the past week have damaged homes and shelters of host communities and internally displaced persons, some of which have been damaged beyond repair. Public infrastructure, including schools, roads and health facilities, have been affected. Livelihoods that were already at stake have also been damaged.

According to OCHA, the governorates of Al Hudaydah, Hajjah, Marib, Saada and Taiz were among the most affected, with a total of 38,285 families (around 268,000 individuals) affected. The severe weather is expected to continue into September, with additional heavy rain alerts issued for Ibb governorate.

Source: United Nations website