22 aid agencies make unprecedented and united call for Biden .administration to revoke Ansar allah terrorist designation

Twenty-two aid organizations working in Yemen remain extremely concerned about the humanitarian consequences of the designation of Ansar Allah as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Terrorist Group (SDGT), which came into effect on 19 January. This designation comes at a time when famine is a genuine threat to a country devastated by six years of conflict, and it must be revoked immediately. Any disruption to lifesaving aid operations and commercial imports of food, fuel, medicine, and other essential goods will put millions of lives at risk.

The four general licenses issued by the U.S. government aim to allow for the continued flow of aid to Yemen, seeking to mitigate the designations' impacts, including by providing broad authorizations for humanitarian organizations. The legal implications of the designation and its impact on our work on the ground are yet to be clarified. However, it is already clear that even with licenses and exemptions in place for humanitarian work, the designation will have serious implications, causing delays and uncertainty in our ability to deliver assistance and making it even more difficult to operate in Yemen, particularly in areas controlled by the de facto authorities which are home to the majority of people in need.