The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) urged on Wednesday United Nations aid agencies to review and enforce accurate, credible, neutral and transparent monitoring mechanisms for their humanitarian work in Yemen to prevent any abuse or exploitation of aid.
The center also called on the UN and its humanitarian agencies to immediately begin transparent investigations into such incidents, and to disclose any suspicion of the involvement of their staff members in corruption, abuses or complicity with any party with regards to the allocation of humanitarian grants and aid provided by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The KSrelief issued a press release on Wednesday after the center’s officials were briefed on serious reports from international news outlets alleging corruption in some UN agencies working in Yemen.
“KSrelief relies heavily on these agencies to deliver urgent humanitarian assistance to Yemenis in desperate need of help,” the statement said, adding that while the center values its strong strategic partnerships with the UN and its agencies, there are clearly stated mechanisms in its contracts with humanitarian partners which prohibit the exploitation of aid by individuals or groups working or affiliated with UN or international organizations for any individual or other interests.
“The terms of these contracts require the immediate disclosure of any incident of irregularity or corruption, and further state that KSrelief has the right to participate in any investigation into such incidents,” it said.
According to the statement, the center also has the right to review all partner agreements to ensure compliance with transparent monitoring and implementation procedures.
“KSrelief emphasizes the importance of its valuable partnerships with UN agencies in carrying out its mission to alleviate the suffering of all in need,” it added.
Yemeni Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Najib al-Auj has told Asharq Al-Awsat that after reading the Associated Press report, “we will file a comprehensive report about the performance of each agency.”
Yemen's Information Minister Muammar al-Eryani has demanded the UN to declassify documents of corruption probes that the world body had carried out in its agencies in Yemen.
"The information in the (AP) report on corruption, nepotism, fraud, violations in staff hiring, depositing millions of dollars donated as aid to Yemen in staffers' bank accounts, suspicious contracts, disappearance of food and medical aid, diversions of aid to Houthis and allowing Houthi rebel leaders to travel in UN vehicles, is a very serious matter," Eryani said in a statement to Saba.
