Coalition of Relief and Building Organizes Event to Commemorate World Humanitarian Day 2025 in Marib

Coalition of Relief and Building  (CRB), in partnership with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) – Marib and the Humanitarian Media Center (HMC), organized a special event on Wednesday to mark World Humanitarian Day, which falls on August 19 of each year.

The event,  attended by local government leaders in the governorate, representatives of UN, international, regional, and local organizations operating in the governorate, and humanitarian cluster coordinators, aimed to shed light on the humanitarian situation in Yemen in general, and Marib in particular. It also sought to recognize the critical role of humanitarian workers, strengthen partnerships between local authorities and humanitarian actors, and showcase achievements in the humanitarian sector in Marib Governorate 

In his speech during the event, Dr. Abdu-Rabbu Miftah, Deputy Governor of Marib, stated that this year’s commemoration of World Humanitarian Day, alongside humanitarian partners, comes amid increasingly complex circumstances. These include growing challenges related to funding shortages and increasing attempts to exacerbate the suffering of displaced people and host communities in Marib and other liberated governorates.

Miftah highlighted the humanitarian crisis facing Marib Governorate, which has hosted more than 62 percent of the country’s IDPs. He referenced UN reports indicating signs of a looming famine, rising food insecurity, and insufficient humanitarian interventions. He emphasized that the local authorities remain committed to continuing support, protection, coordination, and development of humanitarian partnerships with donors and operational organizations to alleviate the suffering of displaced people and host communities

Ezz Adin  Methqal, CRB’s Director General, highlighted in his speech on this occasion the challenges of the massive humanitarian needs in the governorate, despite the efforts made. He stressed the necessity for humanitarian partners to intensify efforts to mobilize resources and fill gaps across all sectors. He also praised the contributions of both local and international partners and underscored the importance of strengthening effective partnerships to ensure that aid reaches the most vulnerable groups.

In his speech on behalf of humanitarian partners, the Coordinator of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Marib, Rashid Al-Dubaei, emphasized the need for all partners to commit to providing life-saving assistance, protecting those in need, ensuring unhindered access to humanitarian aid, and ensuring the safety and security of aid workers, in accordance with humanitarian principles. He also emphasized the need to support humanitarian efforts in the governorate, work together with all partners to improve the humanitarian work environment, and promote sustainable response.

 Al-Dubaei pointed out that the world has witnessed the loss of more than 383 humanitarian workers in the past year and a half, as a result of being targeted while performing their humanitarian duties to provide essential services to the most vulnerable groups, especially women and children.

In two separate speeches, Abdulhakim Al-Qaisi, Director of the Social Affairs and Labor Office, and Khaled Al-Shijani, representative of the Executive Unit for IDPs, stated that Marib has become a safe haven for over three million internally displaced persons (IDPs) from various governorates. These individuals are enduring difficult humanitarian conditions amidst a noticeable decline in humanitarian interventions by both local and international organizations

They emphasized that World Humanitarian Day represents an important occasion to embody the meanings of humanity and solidarity, and to remind the world of the suffering of thousands of families facing hunger, homelessness, and lack of basic necessities 

Both Al-Qaisi and Al-Shijani called on all concerned parties and humanitarian organizations to assume their ethical and humanitarian responsibilities and intensify urgent efforts to provide food, shelter, and necessary support to IDPs. They affirmed that, despite the enormous challenges, Marib remains a living example of humanitarian resilience and social solidarity, deserving of greater attention and support to ease the plight of those who have sought safety within its borders

The event concluded with a ceremony honoring a number of active humanitarian partners in Marib and Al-Jawf governorates, including government offices and UN, international, regional, and local organizations, in recognition of their efforts and contributions in alleviating the suffering of affected populations.