WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th February, 2020) International donors will suspend many assistance programs in Yemen over the next two months if Houthi rebels do not stop impeding aid operations, a senior US State Department official told reporters.
"Each donor and each implementer is drawing up plans on how to - what to do if the Houthis do not change their behavior on the ground. And the plans involve suspending a lot of assistance programs, with exceptions for truly lifesaving programs," the official said during a press briefing on Tuesday. "I think everyone's looking at a timeline of a month or two, soon, before - that's the point at which different donors will start - or different implementers will start to suspend some of their programmings."
The United States hopes that Houthi rebels will "change their behavior" and the measures to limit aid will not be necessary, the state department official added.
Earlier in February, the United Nations said it could reduce the humanitarian assistance to the northern Yemeni areas over the new restrictions imposed in the Houthi-controlled areas. Similar statements have been made by the United Kingdom and the United States.
