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

Trump ministration’s decision to designate Yemen’s Iranian-backed rebels as a terror organisation has led to confusion in aid ncies. re have also been warnings from United Nations and senior Republicans that it could have a devastating humanitarian impact on a nation that is alrey battered by over five years of war and facing risk of famine. According to AP reports, 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 designation as soon as he gets to office. Oxfam America’s Humanitarian Policy Le Scott Paul said, "Lives hang in balance." However, Biden’s team has t yet expressed its intentions. Talking about US' action, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that action "is likely to have serious humanitarian and political repercussions."

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Republican chairman of Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Jim Risch, and top Republican on House Foreign Affairs Committee Rep. Michael McCaul warned that "Good intentions must t be eclipsed by significant unintended consequences." 

In a joint statement, two leers expressed ir concern as y said that without mitigating measures in place, 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 or critical imports unless executive branch acts w to issue necessary licenses, waivers, and appropriate guidance prior to designation," said Republicans. 

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UN chief warns 

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

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

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(Im Credits: AP)