Beyza Binnur Donmez
11 February 2025•Update: 11 February 2025
- On Yemen aid pause by UN, Laerke says: 'We are looking into, as we speak, what the impact of this recent stop in particular will have on our operations in Yemen'
GENEVA
The UN humanitarian office on Tuesday said that the agency's field reporting indicates that more than 110,000 displaced people have left sites in Goma, the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
They started to move to villages in the Masisi, Rutshuru and Nyiragongo territories where there is no fighting, spokesperson Jens Laerke told a UN briefing in Geneva.
"However, partners remain concerned by the 72-hour ultimatum given by M23 representatives two days ago to displaced people living in sites and collective centers in Goma to leave and return to their villages," Laerke said.
"We reiterate that all returns must be voluntary and take place under safe, informed and dignified conditions in accordance with international humanitarian law," he added.
He stressed that humanitarian partners are also alarmed about the ongoing but unplanned dismantling of sites for internally displaced people.
This situation leads to the loss of humanitarian infrastructure at the sites, including water facilities, health centers, and cholera treatment centers, resulting in "significant losses of humanitarian investments and reduced response capacities,” he added.
UN assessing impact of Yemen aid pause
Laerke, in response to Anadolu's question, said that the agency is assessing the impact of a pause in humanitarian operations in Yemen following the detention of UN staff members.
"We are looking into, as we speak, what the impact of this recent stop in particular will have on our operations in Yemen," he said.
When asked about the volume of aid delivered to affected areas before the pause, Laerke said he did not have exact figures.
"Of course, that is something we would look at. We would need that for comparison to see what has happened to estimate the impact," he added.
The UN on Monday announced a temporary pause to all its operations in Yemen’s Sa'ada governorate after the detention of UN personnel by Houthis.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres directed UN agencies to halt activities due to the "absence of the necessary security conditions and guarantees," according to a statement from the spokesperson's office following Houthi's detention of "eight additional United Nations personnel, including six working in Sa’ada governorate."
"This extraordinary and temporary measure seeks to balance the imperative to stay and deliver with the need to have the safety and security of the UN personnel and its partners guaranteed," said the statement, adding that "such guarantees are ultimately required to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of our efforts."
The UN urged the Houthis to ensure the release of the detained staff, emphasizing that the pause allows time "to arrange the release of arbitrarily detained UN personnel and ensure that the necessary conditions are in place to deliver critical humanitarian support."
