World News in Brief: Aid activities suspended in Yemeni governorate, Gaza humanitarian update, UN welcomes summit on DR Congo crisis

This article is published in association with United Nations.

The UN Secretary-General has instructed agencies, funds and programmes to pause all activities in Sa’ada governorate in Yemen for security reasons, the global body said on Monday. 

The decision follows the recent detention by the Houthi de facto authorities of eight additional UN personnel, including six working in Sa’ada, which has impacted operations.

The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, have been holding dozens of staff from the UN, international organizations and diplomatic missions for more than a year.

“This extraordinary and temporary measure seeks to balance the imperative to stay and deliver with the need to have the safety and security of the UN personnel and its partners guaranteed,” said UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, speaking during the daily media briefing from New York.

He said the pause aims to give time to the de facto authorities and the UN “to arrange the release of arbitrarily detained UN personnel and ensure that the necessary conditions are in place to deliver critical humanitarian support guided by the principles of impartiality, neutrality, independence and humanity.”

The UN underlined its full commitment to assist the millions of people in need across Yemen, where Houthi rebels and Government forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, have been fighting for more than a decade.

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People displaced by the war are slowly returning to their homes across Gaza.

Humanitarians continue to return to newly accessible areas of Gaza

More than 1.5 million people in Gaza have received food parcels since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began on 19 January, the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, said on Monday.

The UN and partners continue to observe movement across the Netzarim corridor that separates the north and the south of the enclave as people return to their neighbourhoods.

They also continue to re-establish their presence in newly accessible areas across the Strip. 

Food, water and healthcare

The World Food Programme (WFP) has distributed food parcels, hot meals and cash to more than 860,000 people in Gaza, OCHA said, and partners are providing more meals as community kitchens open in new areas. 

Repair work continues on water wells across the enclave.  However, the widespread destruction of infrastructure and shortages of spare parts, generators and solar panels are affecting efforts to increase water production.      

Nearly 60 health partners provide primary and secondary health services across the Gaza Strip, ensuring access to essential care. 

The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) is distributing sexual and reproductive health supplies expected to benefit more than 65,000 people over the next three weeks. 

UNFPA has also supported another health partner which has opened three temporary primary healthcare centres in Gaza and a temporary medical point in Jabalya in the north.

OCHA reported that recent winter storms destroyed at least five child-friendly spaces in Khan Younis and the Middle Area in Gaza.

The storms also destroyed the Jabalya women and girls’ safe space, the largest such site in the north, serving nearly 500 women and girls each month.

WFP

Women in Goma in the eastern DR Congo collect food provider by the UN and its partners.

UN welcomes Tanzania summit on eastern DRC crisis

The UN has welcomed a recent meeting of African leaders to address the crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The joint summit by the Southern African bloc, SADC, and the East African Community (EAC) was held in Tanzania on Saturday. Participants reaffirmed the respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC.

Fighting escalated in late January when M23 rebels, who are backed by Rwanda, seized control of parts of North Kivu province, including the regional capital Goma.

Deputy UN Spokesperson Farhan Haq said the Organization remains committed to supporting the immediate measures announced, including an immediate ceasefire, the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid, and efforts to ensure the security of Goma and its key infrastructure.