Committee of
Foreign Affairs I
The Forgotten Conflict - In Yemen, over 8 million people are on the brink of famine, 1 million people suffer from cholera, and 3 million people are internally displaced. What can the European Union, do to help relieve the suffering of the population and create safe living conditions?
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Introduction
The world's largest humanitarian crisis may not be at our doorstep, but it is one we can not ignore. The ongoing hostilities are rooted in the on-and-off conflict between the internationally recognised Yemeni government forces and the Houthi-led rebel movement in the North-West of the country. After the Houthis took control of Yemen's capital, Sana’a, in September of 2014, a coalition of Arab states led by Saudi Arabia formed to restore control to the Yemeni government. The coalition has sent ground troops, commanded airstrikes and imposed a naval blockade around Houthi-controlled territories. Additionally, the coalition have received weaponry and crucial intelligence from the United States, the United Kingdom and France.
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With an ongoing internal armed conflict dominating the lives of its inhabitants, Yemen has succumbed to the worst cholera outbreak on record. Furthermore, famine is widespread, with 22.2 million people, 11.3 million of which are children, in need of critical aid. Since the escalation of the conflict in 2015, the European Union has designated €233.7 million in humanitarian aid to help the situation, addressing basic human needs, i.e. water, food, medicine and a further €66 million in development aid to support early recovery initiatives.
Cholera
Cholera is an infection in the small intestine that is spread mostly by unsafe food and unsafe water. If left untreated, the bacterial disease can lead to life-threatening dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.
Internationally dislaced person
An internally displaced person is someone forced to flee from their home as a result of e.g. an ethnic conflict or a civil war, but who remains within the borders of their home country.
Key terms
Development Aid
Development Aid is financial aid given by governments or organisations to support the social, economic, environmental and political development in a country. It is different from humanitarian aid as it focuses long-term solutions rather than a short-term response.
Insurgency
Insurgency is the act of revolt or uprising, often when a group of people attempt to to take control of their country by violent means.
Humanitarian Aid
Humanitarian Aid is the logistic and material help to those in need as a result of natural and man-made disasters in areas beyond the relief capacity of only governments and national authorities. It aims to bring short-term relief to victims in the form of e.g. water, food and medical supplies.
Proxy-warfare
Proxy-warfare occurs when two countries indirectly fight over influence by supporting opposing sides in other countries and inciting conflicts.
Main conflicts
A major aspect in the conflict is the longstanding tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Saudi Arabia fears what they view as Iranian expansionism; Iran’s support for the Houthis is no different from their support for other Shia armed groups in the middle-east. Given the country’s long and significant border with Yemen, Saudi Arabia is vulnerable to the increased influence of these groups as they receive arms shipments and alleged military advisers from Iran. Other political entanglements have equally strained the relationship between these two powers, Iran and Saudi Arabia are engaging in proxy-warfare. Saudi-backed rebels are fighting Bashar al-Assad's Iranian-backed government in Syria, the Sunni Future Movement with Saudi Arabian support faces Iranian-sponsored Hezbollah in Lebanon and the execution of a Shia Muslim leader that resulted in an attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran. On opposite sides of the Islamic rift, the two middle-eastern powers are also bitter rivals in the fight to dominate oil resources and fulfill western demand. Iran also stands to benefit from the threats to raise Saudi oil prices following the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
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The role of western states in supplying the Saudi-led military coalition raises questions regarding the ethics of such involvement. The arms and intelligence, provided by the US, UK and France, have been critical in facilitating air strikes against the rebel groups. Additionally, regular air strikes are launched by the US government against al-Qaeda and ISIL targets in Yemen which have spread as a result of the chaos. Civilian casualties are certain in these attacks, hospitals, schools and markets have been hit by the coalition airstrikes. In August 2018, the bombing raid hit a bus in Dahyan killing 43 people and wounding 63. There we children on board, on their way to school – 29 were killed and 30 were wounded.
The urgency in the conflict, however, is the major obstacles aid organisations face across Yemen. The rapid acceleration of violence, violation of human rights, deteriorating of infrastructure, the Houthi siege on the city of Taiz, increasing restrictions on imports and fuel, and Saudi Arabian pressure on aid groups to leave rebel-controlled areas due to a high casualty risk have prevented organisations from meeting the acute need for basic nutrition and humanitarian services in Yemen. As of June 2018, warfare extended to areas near the port of Hodeidah which is critical for the imports of commercial and humanitarian aid into Yemen as well as the delivery of such lifesaving items to the civilian population. This especially for the 3 million internally displaced in Yemen as a result of the conflict. These individuals face a lack of shelter, safety and security as well as livelihood options, and are more vulnerable to water and food insecurity, gender-based violence and loss of documentation.
Stakeholders
The Yemeni Government
The Yemeni Government is internationally recognised and due executive rule over the country. Yemen, however, lacks a functioning central government, the few operating institutions are currently run by unelected officials and armed groups. An idle government has lead to a drastic decrease in imports and a disruption in food, water, aid and medical supplies across the nation.
The Houthis
The Houthis are a tribe of Shia Yemenis in control of the northwestern regions of Yemen including the capital Sana’a. The rebel group have led a long insurgency against the current government, protested policies and decisions.
The European External Action Service
The European External Action Service (EEAS) is the foreign ministry of the EU and is part of the European Commission. It facilitates The Delegation of the European Union to Yemen, an initiative that focuses on developing projects in areas such as conflict response and democracy and human rights.
The United Nations
The United Nations is an international organisation is heavily involved in delivering humanitarian aid to Yemen through the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Aid (OCHA) Yemen and the UN Humanitarian Air Services (UNHAS). OCHA works side by side the government and humanitarian partners in Yemen, at all levels, to better the quality of humanitarian response. UNHAS provides passenger and light cargo transport to and from areas of crisis, allowing for humanitarian aid to reach those in need despite low accessibility.
Non-governmental Organisations
Non-Governmental Organisations are providing the civilians in Yemen with desperately needed humanitarian aid and are under immense pressure to compensate for the absence of a functioning government. Examples include Save the Children, CARE and the International Rescue Committee (IRC).
Measures in place
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As previously mentioned, the European Union has designated €233.7 million in humanitarian aid to mitigate the restrictions in basic human needs, i.e. water, food, medicine and a further €66 million in development aid to support early recovery initiatives.
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In April 2018, the High-Level Pledging Event for the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen was held in Geneva. There the EU pledged another €107.5 million to aid civilians caught in the cross-fire.
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The European Council adopted conclusions on Yemen, on 25th June 2018, in a dialogue with the UN Special Envoy (UNSE) regarding the escalation of the conflict and the need to increase action in Yemen. EU foreign ministers reemphasized the inconceivability of a military solution and expressed support for the UNSE's efforts to renew political negotiations.
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EU-Yemen economic Support Programme (YESP) that aims to develop the private sector and open up finance opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), especially for women and youth.
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EU-Yemen Fisheries Support Programme (YFSP) intends to make use of Yemen's 2,230km coastline and promote coastal communities in their development to create local jobs and exports.
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The EU has also been co-funding the UN-established Verification and Inspection mechanism (UNVIM) that verifies and inspects the import of commercial goods to ease the humanitarian crisis.
Key Questions & Further Research
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In what ways can the EU meet the acute needs for humanitarian aid and best use the funds allocated to the crisis?
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What can the EU do, in cooperation with international organisations such as the United Nations, to promote peaceful negotiations as opposed to the current military conflict?
Freedom House: Report on Yemen 2018
​https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2018/yemen
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Yemen war: US presses Saudi Arabia to agree ceasefire https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-46040789
Socotra island: The Unesco-protected 'Jewel of Arabia' vanishing amid Yemen’s civil war:
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The Middle East's cold war, explained
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veMFCFyOwFI
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The World Has Left Yemen to Die https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/08/dispatches-yemen-health-crisis/
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Yemen war: Fighting rages over vital port of Hudaydah https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-44477500