Jemen

The World Food Program (WFP) is shutting down its operations and terminating contracts with employees in the northern, rebel-held portion of Yemen, following restrictions and other harassment from the Houthi rebels, UN officials said on Thursday. 

The Security Council adopted a resolution on Tuesday that renews the mandate of the UN Mission in the Yemeni port city of Hudaydah for a final two-month period through 31 March of this year.  Resolution 2813 (2026), submitted by the United Kingdom, received 13 votes in favour and none against. Two countries – China and Russia – abstained. 

Briefing ambassadors, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg said recent political and security developments – particularly in the south – underscored how quickly stability could unravel without a credible, inclusive political process. … While military de-escalation has been achieved in recent days, he cautioned that the security situation remains fragile, especially following rival deployments in southern governorates.

United Nations officials today urged an inclusive political process for Yemen, warned that millions of people are being left without life-saving aid and demanded the release of detained UN and relief personnel.

A Saudi-led coalition struck the home province of Yemen’s UAE-backed separatist leader Wednesday, after he failed to show up for talks in Riyadh and was kicked out of the country’s presidential body. The coalition said it had given Aidaros Alzubidi a 48-hour ultimatum to come to Riyadh for discussions, after his Southern Transitional Council (STC) grabbed swathes of territory last month. 

According to the December humanitarian update from aid coordination office, OCHA, Yemen’s 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan is just 25 per cent funded, forcing agencies to scale back life-saving services across all sectors, despite worsening needs.  

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on Yemen’s leaders to return to the path of peace and release all UN personnel detained there, following a briefing to the Security Council on Wednesday.

The Southern Transitional Council has seized control of more territory, reinforcing calls for a split of war-torn Yemen. However, global recognition for two independent states is unlikely due to foreign interests.

A separatist group has seized key oil-rich provinces in southern Yemen, shattering a fragile lull in the civil war and deepening rifts within the anti-Houthi camp.

Members of the Security Council traded barbs today over the origin of restricted items flowing into Yemen, as they were briefed by the chair of the committee tasked with implementing an arms embargo, economic sanctions and other measures aimed at tackling the country’s bloody — and increasingly regional — civil conflict.