Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, dismissed the allegations, stating “such false statements are baseless, and further threaten the safety of staff and hinder our ability and our partners ability to serve the people of Yemen.”
The allegations were made against the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and other humanitarian partners.
He reiterated that UN agencies have been working tirelessly to address the impact of the dire crisis in Yemen, where over the half the population – or about 19 million people – depend on humanitarian assistance and protection.