Amb. Edmund Fitton-Brown
Senior Advisor, Counter Extremism Project (CEP)

On September 25, 2024, CEP hosted a webinar to discuss the problem of aid diversion in Yemen, Afghanistan and Somalia.

Speakers considers CEP’s previous report, “Houthi Diversion of Humanitarian Assistance in Yemen,” and how its analysis of aid delivery in Yemen compares with forthcoming reports of aid diversion in Afghanistan and Somalia. The discussion examines which actors in these countries are disrupting and diverting aid delivery, how they do so, and why the problem remains poorly documented.

Speakers consider what donor countries ought to do in order to address this ubiquitous and insidious problem, and what steps might be taken if the issues at hand cannot be resolved.

Presentation:

Ari Heistein
Co-author of the CEP report 
Yemen Specialist and Defense Technology Professional

Nathaniel Rabkin
Co-author of the CEP report 

On June 20, 2024, CEP hosted a webinar to present a new, in-depth report on Houthi diversion of humanitarian assistance in Yemen.

Despite receiving over $20 billion in international humanitarian assistance over the past decade, the humanitarian situation in Yemen remains precarious. One reason for this protracted crisis seems to be systematic aid diversion by the Houthis on a significant scale. The Houthis have established a sophisticated structure to exploit humanitarian assistance for their own ends and prevent some of the aid from reaching those most in need in the country.

Unfortunately, they have encountered only limited pushback from organizations that are funded for the express purpose of helping Yemen’s most vulnerable. Furthermore, reporting on aid delivery by humanitarian organizations is not transparent, which complicates and frustrates efforts to counter Houthi diversion of humanitarian assistance.

What is the scale of the aid diversion problem? How do the Houthis influence the way in which aid is allocated? How can humanitarian organizations minimize the problem of Houthi aid diversion? 

Discussant:
Amb. Edmund Fitton-Brown
Senior Advisor, Counter Extremism Project (CEP)

On June 20, 2024, CEP hosted a webinar to present a new, in-depth report on Houthi diversion of humanitarian assistance in Yemen.

Despite receiving over $20 billion in international humanitarian assistance over the past decade, the humanitarian situation in Yemen remains precarious. One reason for this protracted crisis seems to be systematic aid diversion by the Houthis on a significant scale. The Houthis have established a sophisticated structure to exploit humanitarian assistance for their own ends and prevent some of the aid from reaching those most in need in the country.

Unfortunately, they have encountered only limited pushback from organizations that are funded for the express purpose of helping Yemen’s most vulnerable. Furthermore, reporting on aid delivery by humanitarian organizations is not transparent, which complicates and frustrates efforts to counter Houthi diversion of humanitarian assistance.

What is the scale of the aid diversion problem? How do the Houthis influence the way in which aid is allocated? How can humanitarian organizations minimize the problem of Houthi aid diversion?