UN / SAUDI ARABIA YEMEN

UN spokesperson Farhan Haq expressed concern over the announcement by the Saudi-led coalition that it is temporarily closing all of Yemen’s air, land, and sea ports adding that this “may hamper the delivery of humanitarian aid to the country’s population.” UNIFEED

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:26
• Production Date: 6 November 2017
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: FARHAN HAQ
• Subject Topical: HUMANITARIAN CRISIS; PEACE AND SECURITY
• Geographic Subject: SAUDI ARABIA; YEMEN
• MAMS Id: 2029361
• Parent Id: 2029361
• Alternate Title: unifeed171106e

Description

STORY: UN / SAUDI ARABIA YEMEN
TRT: 01:26
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 06 NOVEMBER 2017, NEW YORK CITY

Shotlist

RECENT - NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, UNHQ exterior

06 NOVEMBER 2017, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, press room
3. Med shot, journalist asking question
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, United Nations:
“We would like also to express concern by the announcement by the Saudi-led coalition that it is temporarily closing all of Yemen’s air, land, and sea ports. This may hamper the delivery of humanitarian aid to the country’s population. We call for restraint on all sides, and reiterate that military escalation is not the solution. We urge all parties to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure against attack.”
5. Med shot, journalist asking question
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, United Nations:
(starts under cutaway) “We are aware that there were no flight clearances granted to our flights today. We had expected to have two flights going, and those are on hold for now. We are in touch with our counterparts and we’re trying to see whether we can get our normal access restored; and we are hopeful that we will be able to continue our normal operations. We once more underscore to all parties the need for regular humanitarian access to all parts of Yemen that are in need.”
7. Wide shot, press room

Storyline

UN spokesperson Farhan Haq expressed concern over the announcement by the Saudi-led coalition that it is temporarily closing all of Yemen’s air, land, and sea ports adding that this “may hamper the delivery of humanitarian aid to the country’s population.”

Speaking to reporters in New York today (06 Nov), Haq said the UN was in touch with its counterparts to see whether it can get its normal access restored and was “hopeful” that it will be able to continue its normal operations. Haq said there were no clearances granted to UN flights to Yemen today, placing two expected flights “on hold for now.” Haq underscored “to all parties the need for regular humanitarian access to all parts of Yemen that are in need.”

The UN spokesperson took note of the statement issued by Saudi ministry of defence over the weekend that a ballistic missile was intercepted of north-east Riyadh and that the Houthis had claimed responsibility for firing the missile from Yemen. He added that the UN was aware of the sharp increase in airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition on Sana’a on the same day. Haq said the UN calls for “restraint on all sides” adding that “military escalation is not the solution.” He urged all parties “to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure against attack.”