Statement by Ambassador Ondina Blokar Drobič, Charge d’Affaires at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Slovenia to the United Nations on behalf of Slovenia and Guyana, Informal Co-Focal Points on Conflict and Hunger, at the UN Security Council Briefing on Yemen

Mr. President,

I deliver this statement on behalf of the delegations of Guyana and Slovenia in our capacity as informal co-focal points on conflict and hunger in the Security Council. We would like to thank today’s briefers for their important remarks on the situation in Yemen.

Colleagues,

Yemen now stands as the fourth most food-insecure country globally. The scale and severity of the crisis are staggering.

The Yemeni people continue to bear the brunt of one of the world’s most protracted and complex security and humanitarian emergencies. We are deeply alarmed by the sharp deterioration of the humanitarian situation, particularly the dramatic rise in food insecurity.

According to the June IPC report, nearly 17.1 million people – half of the country’s population – are facing acute food insecurity. Over 5.1 million are now in IPC Phase 4 labelled as Emergency. There are pockets of the population projected to face famine by next month. Chronic malnutrition affects more than half of all children under five. The total number of people in need of humanitarian assistance has now reached 19.5 million, an increase of 1.3 million compared to last year.

These figures are more than statistics. They reflect civilian lives in danger, children growing up hungry and whole communities pushed to the edge of survival.

Today, we want to deliver the following messages:

Firstly, the crisis is neither new, nor inevitable.

It is shaped by a convergence of longstanding and escalating drivers: more than a decade of protracted conflict, macroeconomic collapse, port and access constraints, reduced food assistance, and recurrent natural disasters.

Insecurity in the Red Sea following Houthi attacks disrupted key trade routes, while airstrikes on the Hodeidah port, which receives up to 80% of food imports into Yemen, have placed additional strain on Yemen’s already fragile, import-dependent food system. With up to 90 percent of its food supply sourced from abroad, Yemen is among the most vulnerable countries to global disruptions in food supply chains.

Secondly, funding challenges are reshaping humanitarian operations in Yemen.

At a time of rising needs, funding shortfalls are forcing agencies in Yemen to scale back food assistance, leaving millions already weakened by years of war exposed to hunger and disease.

In this context, new approaches are essential. Investing in agriculture, a sector that nearly 70 % of Yemenis rely on, is a lifesaving measure. It not only tackles food insecurity and malnutrition but also builds resilience and supports long-term stability.

Support to smallholder farmers and fishing communities helps people produce their own food and sustain livelihoods. In Yemen, timely agricultural assistance is critical to mitigate recurring shocks and prevent deeper crisis.

And finally, humanitarian workers must be able reach those in need and feed the hungry in a safe and secure operating space.

Slovenia and Guyana commend the extraordinary efforts of aid workers, from the World Food Programme, UNICEF, FAO, and nongovernmental organizations, who risk their lives each day to deliver assistance.

But their work is increasingly under threat. We are deeply alarmed by the unacceptable detention of UN and humanitarian personnel, both Yemeni and international, by the Houthis in 2023, 2024 and 2025. These actions are a grave violation of international humanitarian law and serve only to deepen the suffering of civilians. Slovenia and Guyana strongly condemn these detentions and call for their immediate release.

The tragic death of a World Food Programme staff member in detention earlier this year underscores the urgency of protecting humanitarian personnel and ensuring accountability.

The continued suspension of some of the food shipments since February, following the seizure of aid stocks in Sa’dah, is yet another deeply concerning example of how access constraints directly endanger civilian lives.

We call on all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law and to guarantee safe, sustained, and unhindered humanitarian access throughout Yemen.

Thank you.

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