Yemen: NRC Secretary General Jan Egeland's reaction to Saudi-led coalition's move to open Sana'a airport for medical patients
"For the last three years the Sana’a airport closure has been a death sentence for thousands of women, children and men who died prematurely because they were unable to get treatment abroad. Today’s move comes too late for them, but will hopefully save the lives of other Yemenis caught in the conflict and with no available treatment in the country.”
"We hope all warring parties and their sponsors seize this moment to turn the tide against this war. The blockade must end: restrictions on humanitarian goods, commercial imports of food, fuel and medicine, and the closure of sea ports, have thrown Yemen down a dark valley of intolerable suffering. Over 10 million people are on the brink of starvation. The conflict needs to end so that millions of families can start rebuilding their lives." -- Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council
Press contact
Karl Schembri, +962790220159, karl.schembri@nrc.no
NRC multimedia for free use and distribution
Photo gallery about the impact of Sana'a airport's closure: https://nrc.smugmug.com/Country-Programmes/Yemen/2019/n-dbGkmB/Sanaa-Airport-closure-2019/
B-roll of Sana'a airport and medical patients who died: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/26444elfk8hvytc/AAAQCfSRLdocyUmf6XnYC878a?dl=0
Karl Schembri
Regional Media Adviser in the Middle East
Mobile +962 (0) 7902 20159
e-mail: karl.schembri@nrc.no
Skype: karl.schembri
Twitter: @Karl_Schembri