Foreign Minister Denounces UN Ignoring Sana’a Government’s Messages, Demands Cancellation of Verification and Inspection Mechanism
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Jamal Amer, denounced the UN’s disregard for the Yemeni government’s repeated messages regarding the new arbitrary measures imposed by the United Nations Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM) in Djibouti, which entered into force on July 4, 2025.
In a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Minister Amer demanded the cancellation of the mechanism entirely, stressing that it no longer serves the purpose for which it was established.
He pointed out that Sana’a’s failure to receive any response from the office of the UN Secretary-General to the correspondence is in stark contrast to the high moral and ethical standing of the Secretary-General among the Yemeni government and people, who have long considered him a “voice of justice and humanity.” The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates asked, “How can the Secretary-General of the United Nations ignore the cries of the Yemeni people, who have been suffering from an unjust blockade for a decade?”
He explained that the new procedures of the United Nations Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM), which include full physical inspection, the opening of each container individually, and the prohibition of any container from passing without complete documentation, are not merely updates but a dangerous escalation of the stifling blockade imposed on Yemen.
He considered these measures collective punishments that add to the suffering of the Yemeni people and further complicate the flow of essential goods and humanitarian aid, which are the sole lifeline for millions of Yemenis. He emphasized that transforming the Verification and Inspection Mechanism into a tool to complicate and obstruct the flow of vital goods is a dangerous distortion of the UN’s humanitarian role and completely undermines confidence in its impartiality and effectiveness.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs warned that insisting on implementing these “harsh” measures under the current circumstances will not only exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Yemen but will also herald an unintended escalation that threatens security and stability in the entire Red Sea region. He pointed out that disrupting the flow of vital goods and increasing humanitarian suffering creates an extremely tense environment that could undermine any efforts to achieve lasting peace.
Minister Amer called on the UN Secretary-General to abolish the United Nations Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM), as it is no longer needed and does not serve the purpose for which it was established. Until this is achieved, he stressed the importance of rescinding all the new, stringent measures recently imposed by the mechanism and immediately returning to facilitating procedures that serve the mechanism’s original humanitarian objective. These measures ensure prioritization of containers and inspection without fully opening them, particularly for goods that are not prohibited or come from reliable sources, to ensure the speed and efficiency of the flow of goods.
The Foreign Minister reiterated that the continued flow of goods is not merely an economic requirement, but an urgent humanitarian necessity to ensure food and medicine security for the Yemeni people. He expressed his hope that the UN Secretary-General would recognize the seriousness of the situation and take the necessary measures immediately to return the Verification and Inspection Mechanism to its proper path, which serves to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people, not increase it. He also warned that continued silence and disregard for the Sana’a government’s messages will not be accepted by the Yemeni people and will not serve the United Nations’ efforts in Yemen and the region.
