Houthi violations push the UN to relocate the coordinator’s office to Aden
The decision comes in response to the detention of at least 18 UN staff members in Sanaa, exerting significant pressure on the group.
The United Nations has relocated its Resident Coordinator’s office in Yemen to the city of Aden, following more than a week of Houthi detention of at least 18 UN employees in the capital Sanaa. The move underscores the magnitude of risks faced by UN bodies and humanitarian agencies in areas under the group’s control.
The Resident Coordinator’s office announced on Tuesday that the headquarters had been shifted to Aden, but clarified that the Coordinator would continue to carry out his duties across the country, including in Sanaa.
Earlier that day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Yemeni government based in Aden welcomed the UN’s decision, urging other UN programs to adopt the same measure in order to exert greater pressure on the Houthis. In a statement, it reiterated its “strong condemnation” of the militia’s ongoing arbitrary detention of dozens of humanitarian workers, calling for their immediate and unconditional release.
According to the UN, the Houthis had already stormed its offices in Sanaa on August 31 and detained staff members, shortly after an Israeli strike killed the Prime Minister of the Houthi government along with several ministers.
For their part, Houthi authorities argued that the legal immunities granted to UN officials should not serve as a cover for “espionage activities.”
Even prior to these arrests, the Houthis had been holding 23 UN employees, some since 2021. In February, another UN staff member died while in Houthi custody.
Yemen has been divided since late 2014 between a Houthi-controlled administration in Sanaa and a Saudi-backed government in Aden, leading to a prolonged conflict. The Iran-aligned movement continues to obstruct peace efforts, prolonging a war that has drained the country for more than a decade.
In a statement on Tuesday, the World Food Programme described the Houthis’ recent escalation as “unbearable,” condemning “the arbitrary detention of UN and WFP staff, the violent raids on its offices, the destruction and confiscation of assets, and coercive measures against local employees.” The WFP stressed that such practices severely undermined the ability of the agency and other humanitarian organizations to reach at-risk communities in northern Yemen. It called for the immediate release of all aid workers.
The Houthi movement, backed by Tehran, continues to face numerous challenges, particularly ongoing Israeli airstrikes targeting Sanaa and several provinces. Despite this, it maintains its declared commitment to supporting the Gaza Strip, even amid mounting pressures.
