Yemeni government urges UN to relocate office to Aden

Al Mukalla: the internationally recognized Yemeni government repeated Saturday’s call to international aid organizations to relocate their Sana’a offices under control of Houthi to the southern port city of Aden.

Yemen’s Deputy Prime Minister, Salem Al-Khanbashi, said that Aden is safer and that if the UN organization agrees to move, the government will facilitate the work of the UN organization.

“We believe it’s time to move their offices to Aden,” Al-Khanbashi told Arab News, adding that the government has received positive signals from various agencies.

The government’s appeal comes at a time when UN agencies have cut back on major relief operations in North Yemen because of Hussey’s harassment of aid workers, a step that could exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in this war-torn country.

Iran-supported Houthis has accused UN aid workers of spying and distributing rotten food. The UN says that aid cannot reach those in need in areas where Houthi controls.

Al-Khanbashi said that public facilities such as Aden’s seaports and airports can handle a lot of help because security services will provide protection. “We have long asked them to move their offices from Sana’a to Aden. We hope they will respond positively to our call this time.”

Aden is the second largest city in Yemen and the base of the government. Aden has experienced peace and stability since a power distribution agreement eased tensions between the government and the Secessionist Southern Transitional Council in the second half of last year.

A military commission led by Saudi Arabia has begun to disarm the military units of Aden and move heavy weapons to the battlefield.