UK commends political progress in Yemen and urges for sustained efforts to address economic instability: UK statement at the Security Council
Ambassador Barbara Woodward gave a statement at the United Nations Security Council briefing on Yemen.
Thank you, President.
I’d like to start by joining others in offering condolences to Mozambique and to Malawi for the damages that Cyclone Freddy has caused in your countries.
Hans, Joyce, thank you for your briefings.
As Ramadan approaches, so too does the one-year anniversary of the UN-brokered truce. The UK welcomes continued efforts toward a negotiated political settlement, and reiterates the need for dialogue to bring together all Yemeni parties.
We urge the Houthis to engage directly with the internationally recognised Government of Yemen, and the UN. An inclusive political settlement is the only way to bring stability to Yemen.
While we work towards long-term stability, we must also act, as others have said, to mitigate the suffering of Yemenis right now. Nearly 22 million Yemenis are in urgent need of assistance. The UK welcomes the vital role of UNVIM [United Nations Verification and Inspection Mechanism for Yemen] in facilitating commercial cargo flows into Yemen to alleviate this suffering.
Mahram requirements in the north are excluding women from delivering and accessing assistance. As well as being an egregious injustice, this drives up the cost of living. We strongly urge the Houthi authorities to reconsider this policy.
Efforts to address economic instability are also fundamental to reducing humanitarian need and the UK welcomes the generous financial contributions of Saudi Arabia and the UAE to address the serious economic situation of the Yemeni people.
Houthi terrorist attacks and threats have blocked government of Yemen oil exports, again increasing the cost of living for Yemenis. We call on the Houthis to refrain from all escalatory action.
Arms smuggling is destabilising Yemen and the region. The British Navy, and our US and French partners, continue to interdict Iranian arms shipments. We call upon all involved to stop driving regional instability.
Finally, we welcome the major progress made on the FSO Safer salvage operation. The UN’s procurement of a replacement vessel is a vital step toward mitigating the threat of a spill.
But, the mission does not stop here.
We ask the UN to share its detailed budget and for the international community to step up and fill the $34 million funding gap. Without these, the operation cannot start.
Thank you.