UN / YEMEN UPDATE

The World Food Programme (WFP) said “its greatest challenge in Yemen does not come from the guns, that are yet to fall silent in this conflict – instead, it is the obstructive and uncooperative role of some of the Houthi leaders in areas under their control,” according to a UN spokesperson. UNIFEED

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:10
• Production Date: 20 May 2019
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: STEPHANE DUJARRIC
• Corporate Name: WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME - WFP
• Subject Topical: CONFLICT SITUATION; HUMANITARIAN CRISIS
• Geographic Subject: YEMEN
• MAMS Id: 2395757
• Parent Id: 2395757
• Alternate Title: unifeed190520f

Description

STORY: UN / YEMEN UPDATE
TRT: 2:10
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 20 MAY 2019, NEW YORK CITY

Shotlist

FILE - NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, UNHQ exterior

20 MAY 2019, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, press room
3. Wide shot, journalists
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, United Nations:
“We are following with great concern recent incidents and hardening rhetoric in Yemen over the past days. Recalling the initial positive steps taken in the implementation of the Hudaydah Agreement, we are encouraged by the firm commitment reiterated by President Hadi and the Government to implement the Agreement. We remind all parties of their commitments to take further steps to achieve full implementation, together with the Chair of the Redeployment Coordination Committee and the UN Mission to Support the Hudaydah Agreement, so as not to lose the momentum. The Secretary-General urges the Yemeni parties to work with his Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, to make further progress in the implementation of the Stockholm Agreement. The Secretary-General notes that his Special Envoy is committed to working with the Yemenis to find a lasting and negotiated settlement to end the conflict and to meet the legitimate aspirations of the Yemeni people.”
5. Wide shot, journalists
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The World Food Programme (WFP) issued a press release a bit earlier today saying that its greatest challenge in Yemen does not come from the guns, that are yet to fall silent in this conflict – instead, it is the obstructive and uncooperative role of some of the Houthi leaders in areas under their control. Earlier this month, after repeated obstructions, the World Food Programme wrote to the Houthi leadership again and confirmed that the agency has reluctantly reached the conclusion that, unless progress is made on previous agreements, it will have to implement a phased suspension of aid. This phased suspension of WFP operations will be taken as a last resort and the agency will do everything within its powers to ensure that the weakest and most vulnerable – especially the children – do not suffer. WFP still hopes that good sense will prevail, and a suspension will not happen. The ultimate responsibility for the welfare of their people lies with the Yemeni leadership.”
7. Wide shot, press room

Storyline

The World Food Programme (WFP) said “its greatest challenge in Yemen does not come from the guns, that are yet to fall silent in this conflict – instead, it is the obstructive and uncooperative role of some of the Houthi leaders in areas under their control,” according to a UN spokesperson.

Speaking to reporters in New York today (20 May), UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said WFP wrote to the Houthi leadership earlier this month, “after repeated obstructions,” and confirmed that the agency had “reluctantly reached the conclusion that, unless progress is made on previous agreements, it will have to implement a phased suspension of aid.”

He said the phased suspension of WFP operations would be taken as a “last resort” adding that the agency would do “everything within its powers to ensure that the weakest and most vulnerable – especially the children – do not suffer.” WFP still hoped that good sense would prevail, and a suspension would not happen adding that the “ultimate responsibility for the welfare of their people lies with the Yemeni leadership.”

Dujarric also said the UN was following “with great concern recent incidents and hardening rhetoric in Yemen over the past days.” He said, “Recalling the initial positive steps taken in the implementation of the Hudaydah Agreement, we are encouraged by the firm commitment reiterated by President Hadi and the Government to implement the Agreement. We remind all parties of their commitments to take further steps to achieve full implementation, together with the Chair of the Redeployment Coordination Committee and the UN Mission to Support the Hudaydah Agreement, so as not to lose the momentum.”

Dujarric said the Secretary-General urged the Yemeni parties to work with his Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, to make further progress in the implementation of the Stockholm Agreement noting that his Special Envoy was “committed to working with the Yemenis to find a lasting and negotiated settlement to end the conflict and to meet the legitimate aspirations of the Yemeni people.”