UK statement on Yemen welcoming progress on Stockholm agreement
Yemeni parties reach agreement; make important progress on redeployment of troops from Hodeidah.
A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesperson said:
The UK welcomes progress made on agreeing redeployment of troops from Hodeidah by the Government of Yemen and the Houthis this weekend. At a meeting of the Redeployment Co-ordination Committee, chaired by General Lollesgaard, the parties agreed to an initial redeployment of forces. Phase one will see the redeployment of forces away from the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Isa and As Salif and from the humanitarian sites around the city of Hodeidah. The parties aim to finalise an agreement on phase two within a week.
This encouraging progress represents a significant step forward in the political process. But more careful work remains to be done. The UK urges all parties to continue to work with the UN Special Envoy to rapidly finalise and implement the agreed plan. It is also vital that parties facilitate the full deployment of the ‘UN Mission to support the Hodeidah Agreement’ to help implement these agreements and engage constructively in discussions towards agreeing a prisoner exchange, another key measure that will help build confidence.
As the Foreign Secretary reemphasised alongside UAE, US and Saudi Arabian foreign ministers at the Yemen Quad in Warsaw, a political settlement remains the only way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and to address the worsening humanitarian crisis. The Yemeni parties must engage constructively and in good faith to overcome obstacles and find a political solution to end the conflict.
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