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Minister Al-Zouari Discusses Humanitarian Response Plan in Yemen with OCHA
Apr 07, 2025
Ministry Media – Aden Capital
Monday, April 7, 2025
His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Saeed Al-Zouari, Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, met today with Ms. Rosaria Bruno, Acting Head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Yemen, to discuss the humanitarian response plan and explore ways to enhance coordination and mobilize support for the implementation of humanitarian programs and projects across various regions.
During the meeting, Minister Al-Zouari emphasized the importance of strengthening the partnership with OCHA to help alleviate humanitarian suffering, reduce poverty, and support sustainable solutions. He pointed to the challenges facing humanitarian efforts, particularly in areas under the legitimate government's control, due to the continued impact of the situation in regions held by the terrorist Houthi militia.
Minister Al-Zouari explained that the government had, from an early stage, called on the UN Coordinator in Yemen, as well as UN agencies, organizations, and funding bodies, to relocate their administrative and financial offices to the capital, Aden, and to work directly with the legitimate government's official institutions. This move is aimed at ensuring the fair and secure delivery of humanitarian aid to its rightful recipients, away from the risks and violations faced by humanitarian workers in militia-controlled areas. He also called for a review of operational mechanisms to ensure that aid reaches those in need in a just, safe, and lawful manner.
The meeting also addressed recent developments in humanitarian work following the designation of the Houthi militia as a terrorist group, and the rapid changes occurring throughout the country. These developments risk deepening the humanitarian crisis to unbearable levels, requiring the innovation of new mechanisms that align with the current economic, military, and political realities. Such mechanisms are necessary to ensure the continued flow of humanitarian aid and funding for development projects, the selection of local partners, and the empowerment of authorized banks by the Central Bank in Aden to receive funds—especially in light of regional and international changes linked to the terrorist designation of the Houthi militia, as well as the impact of increased global customs duties and their repercussions on humanitarian efforts in Yemen.
For her part, Ms. Rosaria Bruno expressed her pleasure in meeting with Minister Al-Zouari, reaffirming OCHA's commitment to strengthening its partnership with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, addressing the situation of local partners, building their capacities, and making every effort to ensure the continuity of humanitarian funding and the implementation of programs in line with the response plan.
The meeting was attended by several deputy ministers
