The international community must continue to pay attention to the humanitarian situation in Yemen, where hunger and malnutrition remain chronic after nearly a decade of war.

That’s the opinion of Najwa Mekki, Chief of the Strategic Communications Branch at the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, in New York.

Ms. Mekki is fresh from a visit to Yemen, where Government forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and Houthi rebels are battling for power.

The conflict has been further compounded by the war in Gaza, with Houthi attacks against the shipping trade in the Red Sea and their recent seizure of 11 UN national staff.

Ms. Mekki spoke to UN News’s Ezzat El-Ferri about her visit and the need to build on ‘fragile’ progress made so far on the humanitarian front.