US terror designation of Yemen's Houthi rebels jeopardizes aid, raises famine concerns

The Trump administration’s decision to designate Yemen’s Iranian-backed rebels as a terror organisation has led to confusion in aid agencies. There have also been warnings from the United Nations and senior Republicans that it could have a devastating humanitarian impact on a nation that is already battered by over five years of war and facing the risk of famine. According to AP reports, the designation is to take place a day before President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on January 20. 

Various aid groups have requested Biden to reverse the designation as soon as he gets to the office. Oxfam America’s Humanitarian Policy Lead Scott Paul said, "Lives hang in the balance." However, Biden’s team has not yet expressed its intentions. Talking about the US' action, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that the action "is likely to have serious humanitarian and political repercussions."

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The Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Jim Risch, and the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee Rep. Michael McCaul warned that "Good intentions must not be eclipsed by significant unintended consequences." 

In a joint statement, the two leaders expressed their concern as they said that without mitigating measures in place, the US designation "will have devastating humanitarian impacts" as Yemen imports 90 percent of its food. "In light of near-famine conditions ... this designation will have a devastating effect on Yemen’s food supply and other critical imports unless the executive branch acts now to issue the necessary licenses, waivers, and appropriate guidance prior to designation," said the Republicans. 

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UN chief warns 

Earlier, UN chief Antonio Guterres warned that Yemen is facing an imminent danger of the world’s worst famine. Calling for urgent action in the region, the 71-year-old leader said that many lives could be in the absence of an immediate move. Yemen, located at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, has been torn between Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and government forces, backed by Saudi Arabia in a war that has caused widespread poverty and hunger.

In a statement, Guterres stressed that the reasons for the heightened threat of famine include a drastic drop in funding for the UN-coordinated relief operation this year, a decrease in external support for the country’s economy, and the instability of the Yemeni currency rial. In addendum, he also highlighted that the "impediments" for relief organisations imposed by the warring parties and the natural occurrence of locust also played a significant part in heightening the threat.

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(Image Credits: AP)