Latest news with #UNMHA
Yemen Online
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yemen Online
Security Council Extends Yemen Mission Mandate to 2026
Aden — The United Nations Security Council has voted to extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission to Support the Hudaydah Agreement (UNMHA) for an additional six and a half months, pushing its expiration to January 28, 2026. The resolution, drafted by the United Kingdom, reaffirms the Council's commitment to stabilizing Yemen's fragile ceasefire and supporting humanitarian access through the strategic Red Sea port city of Hudaydah. The vote comes at a time of heightened regional instability, with recent Israeli airstrikes on Houthi-controlled infrastructure and renewed missile launches from Yemen threatening maritime security in the Red Sea. UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg warned that Yemen risks being pulled deeper into regional conflicts, urging all parties to uphold the ceasefire and avoid actions that could derail peace efforts. The renewed mandate enables UNMHA to continue monitoring the Hudaydah ceasefire, facilitating de-escalation, and supporting dialogue between Yemeni factions. Council members emphasized the importance of maintaining momentum toward a nationwide political settlement, especially as Omani-mediated talks between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia show signs of progress. The resolution also underscores the need for unimpeded humanitarian access, with over 21 million Yemenis still in need of aid. UN officials called for increased funding and protection for humanitarian workers, following recent detentions and operational suspensions in northern Yemen.
Scoop
5 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Yemen: Security Council Extends UN Mission In Crucial Port City Amid Escalating Red Sea Strife
14 July 2025 Adopted unanimously, the resolution extending the UN Mission to support the Hudaydah Agreement (UNMHA) until 28 January 2026, underscores the Mission's critical role in maintaining fragile stability amid signs of renewed military escalation and deepening humanitarian need. The resolution – 2786 (2025) – reaffirms the Council's support for the 2018 Stockholm Agreement, including the ceasefire in the Houthi-controlled port city – and demilitarisation of its docks, where the majority of Yemen's imports and vital aid shipments pass through. The mission's future It also signals a growing debate over the mission's future, requesting the Secretary-General to submit a review by November to enhance coordination and coherence of UN operations, 'bearing in mind challenges' that have directly impeded UNMHA's capacity to deliver. ' The Security Council …expresses its intention to review the full range of options for UNMHA's mandate, including assessing the future viability and sunsetting of the Mission, and make any necessary adjustments to gain efficiencies and reduce costs or otherwise, as may be required to UN operations in Hudaydah by developments on the ground, including inter alia a durable nationwide ceasefire,' the resolution noted. UNMHA was established in 2019 to support implementation of the Stockholm Agreement between the Government of Yemen and Ansar Allah (as the Houthis are formally known), which sought to prevent major conflict over the region. The mission monitors the ceasefire, facilitates redeployments and supports de-escalation through liaison mechanisms between the parties. Tensions mounting While the military situation on the ground remains tenuously stable, tensions are mounting on multiple fronts. According to a letter from the Secretary-General to the 15-member Council in June, a growing number of ceasefire violations – averaging over 100 per day between June 2024 and May 2025 – highlight the fragile state of the region. Government-aligned forces fortified positions in anticipation of a possible offensive on the city, while Houthi units increased infiltration attempts and public mobilisation, including military-style youth camps in areas they control. Deadly Red Sea passage Compounding this, Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea have intensified. On 8 July, the commercial vessel Eternity C was sunk, killing several crew members and leaving others missing. This followed the sinking of the Magic Seas vessel two days earlier. In a statement, UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg condemned the attacks, calling them violations of international maritime law and warning they risked serious environmental and geopolitical fallout. He called on Ansar Allah to cease attacks that risk escalating tensions in and around Yemen. '[He urges them] to build on the cessation of hostilities with the United States in the Red Sea and to provide durable guarantees to the region and the wider international community, ensuring the safety of all those using this critical waterway,' the statement noted. Significant operational constraints Within Hudaydah itself, UNMHA faces significant constraints. The June letter by the Secretary-General details restrictions by Houthi authorities on UN patrols to the critical Red Sea ports – Hudaydah, Salif and Ras Issa. Damage from repeated airstrikes, including by the US and Israel in response to Houthi attacks, has left key port infrastructure partially inoperable, disrupting fuel, food and medical imports. With Hudaydah responsible for 70 per cent of Yemen's commercial imports and 80 per cent of humanitarian deliveries, the stakes are high. Polio vaccination drive Meanwhile, a new round of polio vaccinations is underway in Government-controlled areas of southern Yemen, amid mounting concerns over the continued spread of the virus. From 12 to 14 July, health workers deployed across 12 governorates, aimed at curbing the outbreak of variant type 2 poliovirus. The campaign, led by Yemen's Ministry of Public Health with support from UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organization (WHO), came as 282 cases have been reported since 2021, with environmental surveillance confirming ongoing transmission. ' The campaign is essential to interrupt transmission and protect every child from the debilitating effects of polio,' said Ferima Coulibaly-Zerbo, acting WHO Representative in Yemen. UNICEF's Peter Hawkins echoed the urgency, warning of the 'imminent threat' to unvaccinated children if immunisation gaps persist. 'But, through vaccination, we can keep our children safe,' he said.
Saba Yemen
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
UNMHA, Officials inspect damage at Hodeida port after Zionist aggression
Hodeida - Saba: Deputy Chief of Staff and head of the National Team in the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC) Major General Ali al-Mawshaki and Acting Head of the United Nations Mission to support the Hodeida Agreement (UNMHA) Ms. Mari Yamashita on Tuesday inspected the damage inflicted on Hodeida Port as a result of what they described as Zionist aggression. Accompanied by other RCC and military officials, they examined the port docks affected by the alleged attack and the extent of the destruction. Nasr al-Nusairi, Vice Chairman of the Yemen Red Sea Ports Corporation, briefed them on the damage, stating that high-explosive concussion bombs caused extensive damage to the port docks. He claimed that the "Israeli enemy" has targeted Red Sea ports multiple times to disrupt the entry of essential food and medicine. Major General al-Mawshaki asserted that the Zionist enemy deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure to harm the Yemeni people for their support of Gaza. He insisted that these actions would not deter Yemen from its duty towards the Palestinians. He urged the UN mission to protect civilian ports under the Stockholm Agreement and highlighted the mission's intended role in port rehabilitation. UN official Mari Yamashita stated that UNMHA verification teams regularly visit the three ports and that the findings of today's visit would be considered and conveyed to the relevant authorities. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
Saba Yemen
20-04-2025
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Foreign Minister Meets with Acting Head of United Nations Mission to Support Hodeida Agreement
Sana'a - Saba: Foreign Minister and Expatriates Affairs, Jamal Amer, met today with the Acting Head of the United Nations Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA), Marie Yamashita. During the meeting, Minister Amer emphasized that the U.S. aggression targeting civilian sites across various provinces constitutes a violation of international law and the United Nations Charter. He pointed out that the targeting of Ras Issa Port and the bombing of medics is a fully-fledged war crime that must be investigated. The Foreign Minister also noted that the U.S. airstrikes, particularly in frontline and coastal areas, indicate that the aggression is following a scorched-earth policy in preparation for a ground military operation, which poses a serious threat of escalating the situation beyond control. He stressed the importance of delivering this message to the UN Secretary-General to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control and slipping from everyone's hands. He also emphasized the need for the UNMHA mission to adhere strictly to its mandate within Hodeidah Governorate and its districts, as any overreach would infringe on national sovereignty. For her part, the Acting Head of UNMHA affirmed the UN's commitment to de-escalation and reliance on dialogue. She added, "The mission will conduct a field visit to the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Issa, and Al-Salif to assess the situation on the ground." Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
