"World Food" places conditions on the Houthis to spend cash assistance
English - Monday 24 February 2020 الساعة 08:46 am
Aden, Newsyemen
The World Food Program (WFP) announced a progress made recently with the Houthi Authority to coordinate aid "towards the start of the biometric (fingerprint system) registration process in Sanaa," but it stipulated that outstanding issues with the authority should be resolved to resume aid distribution.
He stressed, "The pilot phase can only be launched after resolving these outstanding issues," explaining that "the provision of cash assistance to eligible families when the biometric verification mechanism (fingerprint system) is available to ensure the arrival of cash assistance to eligible families."
This comes, days after an Associated Press report revealed that the Houthis had subjected access to areas under their control to a set of conditions rejected by aid agencies, because they give the Houthis greater influence over those receiving aid, as documents and interviews have shown.
For months, the Houthis called for granting them 2% of the total budget of aid, which was rejected by the United Nations and donors.
Last October, Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen Lise Grande sent a letter to the Houthi government head listing a long list of demands, the "vast majority" of which relate to obstructing or delaying the delivery of aid, and many of them are in violation of humanitarian principles.
While the Houthis appeared to be backing down last week, asking for the 2 percent rate, but they continued to press for further concessions, according to relief officials.
