Yemen’s government stresses the need for implementing international laws to ensure global peace and security.

Yemeni Government Emphasizes the Importance of Implementing International Legitimacy Resolutions for Global Peace and Security

The Yemeni government has reiterated that the only way to protect and maintain international peace and security is through supporting the government to extend its sovereignty over the entire national territory and to implement international legitimacy resolutions, particularly Resolution 2216. This call was made to the United Nations Security Council and the international community, urging them to fulfill their responsibilities in this regard.

This statement was made during an open session on the situation in the Middle East (Yemen) held today in New York City, delivered by Yemen’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Abdullah Al-Saadi.

The government strongly condemned the Israeli aggression and Israel’s violation of Yemeni sovereignty as a blatant violation of the United Nations Charter, international law, and all international norms and laws, holding it fully responsible for any repercussions of its airstrikes.

Furthermore, the statement demanded the Houthi militia to cease inviting foreign interventions, halt its destructive approach, violence, and military escalation, and its insistence on undermining peace efforts, prolonging the war in Yemen and the region, and jeopardizing regional and international peace and security.

The Houthi militias were warned against continuing to jeopardize Yemen and its people by dragging them into futile battles serving the interests of the Iranian regime and its expansionist project in the region. Both Iran and Israel were warned against any attempts to use Yemeni territory through rogue militias as a battleground for their destructive projects in the region.

The statement also cautioned the Houthi militias against returning to full-scale escalation, which would exacerbate the already prolonged human suffering, destroy the remaining livelihoods and scarce resources of the Yemeni people, and squander regional and international efforts to end the war and restore peace, stability, and development.

The Yemeni government reaffirmed its commitment to peace and its continuous support for regional and international efforts, especially the persistent mediation efforts by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, and the UN Special Envoy, aimed at achieving a just and comprehensive peace based on agreed political solution references, including the Gulf Initiative, its implementation mechanism, the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference, and relevant Security Council resolutions, particularly Resolution 2216.

The statement pointed to the Houthi militias’ continued violations against humanitarian and relief work in areas under their control, including the kidnapping and detention of dozens of employees from UN agencies and international and local NGOs, both women and men, from their homes, looting their properties, terrorizing their families, and forcibly disappearing them without disclosing their fates for over a month, in a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and national legislation, and a direct threat to the lives, security, and safety of these employees.

It warned of the risks of overlooking these violations, which the Houthi militias aim to use to serve their political agenda, manipulate humanitarian aid for their security and military objectives, and turn areas under their control into a prison for anyone opposing their policies.

The statement renewed the government’s demand for relocating the headquarters of UN agencies and international organizations to the temporary capital, Aden, to alleviate the pressure imposed by these militias on the work of these organizations and ensure a suitable and healthy environment for carrying out their duties without interference, and to continue their humanitarian tasks without restrictions or obstacles, ensuring humanitarian aid reaches those in need and the most vulnerable.

The government expressed its regret over the measures taken by UN offices in Yemen to protect their staff and save their lives, stating that these measures have not met the required or expected level and do not match the level of danger threatening their lives and freedom.

The statement called on the Security Council and the United Nations to exert pressure on the Houthi militias to take urgent measures to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers, and to release the kidnapped and detained unconditionally.

It also highlighted the ongoing detention by the Houthi militias of four airplanes (out of a total of seven) belonging to Yemen Airways, along with their crews, since June 25, 2024, adding to the obstacles and violations practiced by the militias against Yemen’s national carrier, which has been transporting passengers to and from Yemen since the resumption of flights from Sana’a Airport.

The statement mentioned that the Houthi militias continue to freeze the company’s assets exceeding 100 million US dollars since March 2023. Moreover, it informed that the insurance company (Axis Specialty Limited) notified Yemen Airways of the cancellation of flights to and from airports operated by the Houthi militias and the airspace under their control, considering the airspace and geography in Houthi-controlled areas as high-risk from an insurance and aviation safety standpoint.

It emphasized that continuing to operate flights would result in the company bearing 81% of the insurance coverage instead of 100%, imposing financial losses and burdens on Yemen Airways that the company cannot bear, thereby hindering the ability of Yemenis in various regions to travel to and from Yemen and exacerbating economic burdens and the humanitarian crisis.

The statement pointed to the catastrophic economic and humanitarian situation created by the Houthi militia’s coup against the Yemeni state and the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference and the aspirations of the Yemeni people for security, stability, and development.

It noted that the coup plunged millions of Yemenis below the poverty and hunger lines, destroyed infrastructure, killed hundreds of thousands, exacerbated the internal displacement phenomenon to more than 4.5 million displaced persons, cost Yemen about 23 years of development gains, deprived over 80% of the population of basic social services, nearly halved the gross domestic product, and lost the economy more than 126 billion dollars at a minimum. The attacks on oil facilities and export ports by the Houthis have deprived the Yemeni government and people of their main economic resources and income sources.

The government is working on continuing the path of economic, financial, and governmental service reforms to face these challenges, improve living conditions, contain the national currency’s deterioration, rationalize spending, and support the decisions of the Central Bank of Yemen aimed at protecting the banking system, ending monetary distortions, enhancing bank oversight and external transactions, and optimally responding to disclosure standards and compliance with anti-money laundering and terrorism financing requirements.

There are possible opportunities for some progress, especially with the support of regional and international partners within a comprehensive program for economic recovery, reconstruction, and achieving sustainable development goals.

The government welcomed the announcement by the UN Special Envoy regarding the cancellation of recent decisions against some banks and the banking sector, the resumption of flights through Sana’a International Airport, and facilitating them to other destinations as needed.

The government views this initiative as a means to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people and hopes that the announced agreement will lead to creating favorable conditions for constructive dialogue to end all destructive Houthi practices against the banking sector, the economy, and the national currency, and to fulfill the commitments outlined in the roadmap, including the resumption of oil exports.

The government expressed its regret over the stalled negotiations on the prisoners and detainees file, which were recently held in the friendly Sultanate of Oman, and the missed opportunity for any exchange during this round due to the Houthi militia’s intransigence. It called on the Security Council and the international community to assume their humanitarian responsibilities and pressure the militias to complete and address this humanitarian issue, affirming the government’s steadfast position on releasing all prisoners, detainees, and forcibly disappeared persons based on the principle of “all for all.”

The statement highlighted the dire economic and humanitarian situation created by the Houthi militia’s coup against the Yemeni state and the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference, plunging millions into poverty and hunger, destroying infrastructure, and exacerbating the internal displacement phenomenon. The government is working on economic, financial, and service reforms to address these challenges, improve living conditions, and support the Central Bank’s decisions aimed at protecting the banking system and enhancing oversight.

Opportunities for progress exist, especially with the support of regional and international partners within a comprehensive economic recovery and reconstruction program to achieve sustainable development goals. The government welcomed the UN Special Envoy’s announcement on banking sector measures, the resumption of flights through Sana’a International Airport, and facilitating other destinations as needed, viewing it as a step towards alleviating the suffering of the Yemeni people and creating favorable conditions for ending destructive Houthi practices.

The government lamented the stalled negotiations on the prisoners and detainees file in Oman, calling on the Security Council and the international community to pressure the militias to complete and address this humanitarian issue, affirming its commitment to the principle of “all for all” for the release of all prisoners, detainees, and forcibly disappeared persons.

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