UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION

Check against delivery.

Mr. President,

I thank both the Under-Secretary-General, Mr. Martin Griffiths, and Mr. Ferit Hoxha, Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2140, for their valuable briefings. We have also listened to the briefing of the Special Envoy, Mr. Hans Grundberg.

What we have heard today confirms the continued paralysis of the political process under the leadership of the United Nations to deal realistically and firmly with the continuously intransigent position of the Houthi militias and their dangerous escalation, which makes it impossible to reach a political solution to the Yemeni crisis. Over the past months, we have heard numerous briefings, including from Mr. Grundberg, calling on us to give him an opportunity for his efforts to bring the Houthis back to the negotiation table. However, after the UAE civilian infrastructure was subjected to terrorist attacks that claimed the lives of innocent civilians, we can only ask when will the appeasement of this terrorist group end?

On its part, the UAE reaffirms its sovereign right to take all the measures necessary to protect the security and stability of its territory as well as the safety of its citizens and residents from any terrorist attacks in accordance with its obligations under international law. We reiterate that these Houthi terrorist attacks are flagrant violations of international law and have persisted despite the condemnation by the Security Council and by more than 120 countries and international organizations.

This escalation reflects the nature of the Houthis’ aggressive behavior in the region which has reached unprecedented levels. They continue to target the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and threaten international shipping and the global economy. Therefore, stopping the Houthi aggressive behavior requires the international community to take serious, decisive, and tangible steps – all of which keep in mind the nature of the Houthis’ extremist ideology and their true intentions.

As a priority, the international community should place significant pressure on the Houthis and their supporters to stop their violations and attempts to impose their control over the Yemeni territory by force. This pressure begins with imposing further sanctions on them, cutting off the Houthis’ funding sources as well as enforcing the targeted arms embargo imposed on Yemen by Security Council Resolution 2216, and imposing a maritime interdiction and enhanced enforcement. We refer to the recent report of the Panel of Experts, which unequivocally documented the continued violation of the arms embargo. We condemn the Houthis’ continued violations of the Stockholm Agreement, as they have militarized the Hodeidah port to store weapons and launch attacks that threaten the security of navigation and the countries of the region. Accordingly, we call for the presence of the United Nations in the port to monitor it and prevent its use for military purposes.

The Houthis have committed terrorist acts, and they should be designated as such by the international community.

Also, we affirm our firm position in support of a political track that reflects the reality of Yemen and addresses its challenges in a tangible way that contributes to ending the crisis, as is embodied in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s initiative. We also support the resumption of political negotiations between the Yemeni parties. However, it must be noted that the Houthis have demonstrated that they will not commit to any agreement without clear international pressure. As we have seen with the issue of the Safer oil tanker, the Houthis continue to break their promises and block the UN team from making its necessary assessments.

Lastly, we express our deep concern over the continued deterioration of the humanitarian and economic situations in Yemen. We condemn all violations committed by the Houthis against humanitarian workers as well as their continued diversion and obstruction of aid. We also condemn their violations against women, including sexual violence, and against children by recruiting them into their military frontlines. Accordingly, we affirm my country’s continued solidarity with the Yemeni people, and we will continue to provide them with humanitarian and development assistance to alleviate their suffering.

In conclusion, we stress that a political solution is the only requirement to end the Yemeni crisis, and we reiterate the need for continued UN and international efforts to this end. It is time for the Security Council to stop the Houthi militia’s senseless and callous actions so that Yemen can recover and build a stable and secure future.

Thank you, Mr. President.