国际英语资讯:UN humanitarian chief warns against complacency over progress in Yemen_时事

国际英语资讯:UN humanitarian chief warns against complacency over progress in Yemen

"Up to now, we have only seen a reduction in fighting in some areas -- not a full cessation. In the last week, nearly 450 conflict incidents were reported across Yemen, about a third of them in Hudaydah."

He asked the warring parties to continue to engage seriously with Martin Griffiths, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres'special envoy for Yemen, in the peacemaking process, including implementing the agreements reached in Sweden.

The parties have agreed to reconvene in January.

Lowcock asked to protect the supply of food and essential goods, and to facilitate aid operations. "That means keeping all ports open, easing entry and movement restrictions, protecting humanitarian supplies and facilitating aid workers in doing their jobs."

Restrictions on humanitarian access are a serious and growing problem, he said.

Last month, the Yemeni government lifted restrictions on food imports. In November, food imports through the Red Sea ports of Hudaydah and Saleef, where most food enters the country, rose by 15 percent, although the quantity remained below what was needed, said Lowcock.

"We also continue to call on the government to lift restrictions on fuel imports, which are needed to power hospital generators, keep water networks running and for other critical tasks across the country. These restrictions are currently blocking over 70,000 tons of fuel from entering Hudaydah port."

Aid operations at Aden port, where congestion has been a severe problem, have started to improve after the government instructed port authorities to accelerate processing times following Lowcock's intervention. He demanded, as an immediate step, the release of some 1,250 World Food Programme containers that have been stuck at Aden port for months.