HUMAN ACCESS, represented by Dr. Abdulwase Alwasai, Secretary-General of the Association, participated in the Seventh Meeting of Senior Officials Concerned with Humanitarian Aid to Yemen, hosted in the Belgium capital, Brussels, at the joint invitation of the European Union and the Kingdom of Sweden.

The meeting was attended by the European Commission, high-level representatives from donor agencies, United Nations agencies, international financial institutions, international and Yemeni NGOs, and representatives from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

The participants discussed a number of important issues, including the increasing decline of the humanitarian operating environment in Yemen.

They emphasized the importance of a shared humanitarian commitment, especially in light of the threat of famine and war, and the need to re-prioritize the response plan, with a focus on the most affected areas.

Participants made several recommendations, including increasing urgent funding to cover acute needs and supporting and expanding partnerships with local Yemeni organizations, particularly in deprived areas.

At the meeting, Dr. Abdulwase Alwasai, HUMAN ACCESS Secretary-General, spoke about the importance of localizing humanitarian action and the importance of humanitarian support to prevent Yemen from slipping into more acute levels of humanitarian need, given the current difficult circumstances.

He emphasized the need to help bridge the gap between donors and frontline workers on the ground. Dr. Alwasai presented a number of recommendations to help build the resilience of the humanitarian response and protect lives in Yemen.