Local Editor
The diplomats gathered in Paris on Wednesday for the French humanitarian conference on Yemen, co-hosted by Saudi-Arabia, must bring hope to hundreds of thousands of civilians that risk getting trapped in the crossfire of the escalating offensive in Hodeida.
“The countries meeting in Paris this week must work to bring an end to the fighting in Yemen where millions of lives are at stake. There is still time to avoid that Hodeida port, the Rotterdam of Yemen, is destroyed in battle. The main lifeline to Yemen’s suffering civilians cannot be allowed to break,” said Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).
Wednesday’s humanitarian conference on the Yemen crisis organized by France is co-hosted by Saudi Arabia, one of the parties to the conflict. It takes place while hundreds of thousands of Yemenis risk being trapped in a crossfire as fighting escalates in Hodeida, one of the most densely populated areas of the country.
NRC calls for a ceasefire, full adherence to assurances that all ports will remain open and fully functioning, re-opening of Sana’a airport and an end to restrictions on humanitarian access in all provinces by all parties to the conflict.
“More and better aid is urgently needed to save lives in Yemen. But the first and best way to help people is to end this senseless war. The UN envoy must be empowered to find an international arrangement for Hodeida port and to host peace talks that can end the bloodshed. Paris is the perfect occasion to announce a cease-fire as a first step on the road to peace,” said Egeland.
Some 43,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Hodeida Governorate since the Saudi-led offensive started on 13 June. Its population of 3 million people faces risk of mass displacement, flare-up of its deadly cholera outbreak and even famine if the offensive continues. Prior to the current fighting, three in five people in Hodeida relied on humanitarian assistance.
“The situation here is really terrifying. We hear all kinds of explosions and weapons every day, from small guns to airstrikes and naval battleships. In the beginning, the sounds were further away from the city but they are getting closer and closer each day. People here are in a state of intense fear and panic,” said Mo’ath, a Yemeni civilian living in Hodeida.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by Website Team
