“The simple narrative is that children are dying, and it’s going to get worse,” said Julien Harneis, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen. “My fear is that we won’t hear about it until the mortality and morbidity significantly increase this next year.”
Harneis raised the alarm following a five‑day mission to Yemen, where an attempted push by Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces to expand into the eastern governorates of Hadramout and Al Mahra triggered a new wave of political and security uncertainty. The advance was reportedly reversed earlier this month by government‑aligned forces backed by Saudi Arabia.
The latest turbulence comes after more than a decade of conflict between Houthi‑led authorities in Sana’a and the internationally recognised government in Aden, supported by a Saudi‑led coalition.
Harneis described the operating environment as “extraordinarily complicated”, noting how control of Aden shifted back and forth between government forces and the STC within days. Although the STC leadership later announced the dissolution of the movement while in Riyadh, protests in Aden have suggested that some factions remain active.
UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg recently told the Security Council that the upheaval underscores the fragility of Yemen’s political landscape and the urgent need for a credible, inclusive peace process.
Adding to the complexity is the continued detention of UN and diplomatic staff by Houthi authorities. Harneis said the families of the 69 detained personnel have endured years of anguish, with some relatives having no knowledge of their loved ones’ whereabouts or conditions of detention. “Some families haven’t seen their loved ones in five years,” he said.
More than 20 million Yemenis, half the population, are expected to face acute food insecurity next month. “We are expecting things to be much worse in 2026,” Harneis warned.
The country’s health system is also on the brink of collapse. Over 450 facilities have shut down, while thousands more risk closure due to funding shortages. Vaccination programmes are severely strained, particularly in Houthi‑controlled areas, where only two‑thirds of children are fully immunised.
Harneis said economic and political decisions were worsening food insecurity across the country. “We’re going to see a major change where the health system is not going to be supported in the way it has been in the past.”
Despite restrictions, UN partners managed to reach 3.4 million people with food assistance last year and provided emergency support during floods and outbreaks of disease.
The UN has worked in Yemen since the 1960s, helping to deliver development gains and protect vulnerable communities. Harneis said the sudden deterioration of recent years had traumatised humanitarian workers. “That has a terrifying effect,” he said.
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
