Yemen peace talks and Hudaydah ceasefire signal hope for country’s children

13 December 2018 – “Today millions of children across Yemen saw their dreams of peace inch closer to reality with the close of promising negotiations between the warring parties and an agreed ceasefire in the port city of Hudaydah.

“As the Secretary General has said, the agreement to redeploy forces from Hudaydah is especially important because the city serves as the primary entry point for humanitarian aid that is sustaining 28 million Yemeni people. A cessation of hostilities will give thousands of children and families still in Hudaydah a much-needed reprieve from the fighting, while also helping to safeguard humanitarian access and an essential lifeline for the rest of the country.

“We are encouraged by these positive steps and hope that they lead to a comprehensive peace.

“In the meantime, 11 million children across Yemen still need humanitarian assistance to survive, including nearly 400,000 who suffer from the most severe form of acute malnutrition and are at imminent risk of death.

“For these children, true and lasting peace cannot come soon enough.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

For more information, please contact:

Alexandra Murdoch, 0207 375 6179, [email protected]

Unicef UK Media Team, 0207 375 6030, [email protected]

About Unicef

Unicef is the world’s leading organisation for children, promoting the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.

Unicef UK raises funds to protect children in danger, transform their lives and build a safer world for tomorrow’s children. As a registered charity we raise funds through donations from individuals, organisations and companies and we lobby and campaign to keep children safe. Unicef UK also runs programmes in schools, hospitals and with local authorities in the UK.

For more information please visit unicef.org.uk

Follow UNICEF UK on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.