HUDAYDAH, 26 April 2020 — The Head of the United Nations Mission to Support the Hudaydah Agreement (UNMHA) and Chair of the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC), Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Abhijit Guha informs that he has taken the decision to temporarily reduce the personnel footprint of the Mission. This is in line with United Nations headquarters guidelines in regard to the coronavirus pandemic “to quickly adapt in order to ensure business continuity, while preserving the safety and security of staff members” as well as to protect the local population.
 
General Guha, who remains in Hudaydah with a core team of staff and monitors, reiterates UNMHA’s full commitment to continue to implement its mandate in the Governorate. The Head of Mission also thanks the Mission’s national staff for assiduously continuing their work for UNMHA in these difficult circumstances. He stressed that “the Mission is only temporarily repositioning some of its personnel, not reducing its numbers”. 
 
It is within this context that the UN-flagged Vessel, which served as a temporary headquarters for UNMHA, departed Hudaydah on 24 April carrying those Mission personnel who are temporarily repositioning. Some of those staff members will be temporarily located in Amman, and will continue to support the Mission in Hudaydah, until the pandemic-related travel restrictions allow for the return of all personnel to Yemen. General Guha states that “while the UN ship has left the port, UNMHA remains in Hudaydah”. He further stresses that “this temporary move is in no way an ending of the Mission or the mandate”.
 
General Guha reiterates that, in light of COVID-19 it is more important than ever to adhere to the ceasefire in Hudaydah. He also emphasizes “that redeployment of forces agreed as part of the Hudaydah Agreement is essential for the safety and security for people in Hudaydah and therefore its implementation is key to lasting peace”. General Guha continues to work in close cooperation with the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen in pursuit of these aims.