President Al-Zubaidi Discusses Boosting Aid with Senior WFP Official

President Aidarous Qassem Al-Zubaidi, President of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and Vice Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), met on Friday with Ms. Rania Dagash-Kamara, the World Food Programme’s (WFP) assistant executive director for partnership and innovation, concluding his participation in the 80th session of the UN General Assembly.

The meeting reviewed efforts to bridge the severe funding gap that has directly affected the volume of food aid and led to a reduction in support operations in many areas affected by the humanitarian crisis in the country. They also discussed mechanisms to strengthen the partnership between the government and the WFP to overcome current challenges.

President Al-Zubaidi stressed the importance of joining efforts and intensifying communication with donors to bolster food security and expand humanitarian interventions in the country, which is suffering from the consequences of the absurd war ignited by the terrorist Houthi militia, and highlighted relocating the WFP headquarters from militia-controlled areas to the capital, Aden, to ensure the independence and freedom of its operations.

President Al-Zubaidi also strongly condemned the Houthi militia's grave violations against UN staff, including the abduction and arbitrary detention of aid workers, and called these practices a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and an obstruction to relief efforts in the country.

For her part, Ms. Dagash-Kamara expressed her appreciation for the support provided by the government in the capital, Aden, to facilitate the work of international organizations, and affirmed the WFP's commitment to continuing cooperation to enhance food security and provide support to the most vulnerable groups.