SANA’A, June 20 (Saba) – A meeting was held on Monday in Sana’a and chaired by the acting prime minister Talal Aqlan discussed the issues of the refugees in Yemen.

The meeting was attended by chairman and members of the National Commission for Refugees and the Resident Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to Yemen Johannes Johannes Van Der Klaauw and a number of specialists in the UNHCR.

The aspects of the existing cooperation between Yemen and the UNHCR towards all issues and processes associated with the right of asylum in the Republic of Yemen were discussed in the meeting, as well as the ways of strengthening and developing the partnership between the two sides.

The meeting touched upon the diverse challenges and burdens endured by Yemen as a result of the continued influx of Somali refugees as well as illegal immigrants, and its implications on the security, health and economic situations.

The meeting referred to the UNHCR’s role in helping Yemen to organize the process of asylum and voluntary return of Somali refugees whose country is seeing a stability at the current stage, taking into account the exceptional and unprecedented circumstances experienced by Yemen as a result of the continued aggression and siege.

It was agreed at the meeting on developing the human capacities of the national team to work on the refugees affairs through the continuous rehabilitation and training programs and the provision of supplies and equipment to ensure carrying out its duties towards refugees.

The attendees stressed on that the volume of international support in this aspect should keep pace with the real numbers of refugees in Yemen, especially in light of the continued their influx to the Yemeni coast despite the war conditions imposed on Yemen.

The meeting commended the efforts of the resident representative and the UNHCR office in Yemen during the past period, including his role in contributing to the help of displaced persons affected by the recent floods.

BA
Saba