Delivered by: Mrs. Ameirah AlHefeiti, Deputy Permanent Representative and Chargé d’Affaires
Madam President,
I would like to begin by thanking Mr. Hans Grundberg and Ms. Edem Wosornu for their valuable briefings on the developments to the situation in Yemen as well as Ms. Ummat Al-Salam Al-Hajj for her intervention. We also welcome the participation of the representatives of Yemen and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in this meeting.
Madam President,
As we have heard, the Yemen file has witnessed several positive developments over the past week. Five United Nations staff members, who had been kidnapped in Abyan governorate in February 2022, were released. Additionally, the process of offloading the Safer oil tanker was completed, preventing an environmental and humanitarian catastrophe. In this context, we appreciate the efforts of the United Nations and the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen that have contributed to the success of this operation.
Despite these positive developments, we express our sincere condolences and warm sympathy to the family of Mr. Moayad Hameidi, Director of the World Food Program office in Taiz, and to the government and people of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The UAE reiterates its condemnation of his killing in Taiz Governorate.
Madam President,
Despite the fragile calm observed in Yemen, we are deeply concerned by the Houthis’ continued attacks along the frontlines in several governorates. We renew our call for an immediate cessation of these provocative attacks and to refrain from impeding the efforts of both international and regional mediators, who are working to reach a comprehensive political solution to the Yemeni crisis.
Achieving peace requires a comprehensive ceasefire and taking practical measures in this regard. This includes releasing all prisoners and detainees based on the principle of “all for all”, opening roads, and lifting the siege on the city of Taiz to end the suffering of its residents, which has persisted for more than eight years. Therefore, we regret the actions and statements made by the Houthis, as they fail to contribute to the confidence-building that is necessary for resuming the political process.
On the other hand, the continued deterioration of the humanitarian and economic conditions in Yemen is a result of the restrictions imposed by the Houthis on humanitarian organizations, which have also affected private sector companies. These restrictions demonstrate that the Houthi group continues to neglect its responsibilities to the Yemeni people, including the provision of necessary services and disbursement of salaries. Therefore, the Houthis must first think of the interests of the Yemeni people, devoid of any ulterior motives, and refrain from arbitrary measures that could exacerbate the suffering of the population.
In light of the challenges impacting essential utilities in Yemen, the UAE has focused on supporting service projects for the Yemeni people. The projects that were planned and implemented in this year have exceeded $300 million. This encompasses strategic projects in the field of clean and renewable energy, such as the “Aden Solar Power Plant,” boasting a 120-megawatt capacity, and the “Al-Mokha Solar Power Plant,” with a 15-megawatt capacity that aim to bridge the energy gap and reduce carbon emissions. The UAE has also supported the health sector in Yemen by rehabilitating 14 hospitals and health centers in Shabwah and allocating $27 million to support the health sector in Sana’a. Additionally, we supported the water and agriculture sector through a project establishing the Hassan Dam in Abyan.
In this context, we highly appreciate the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s continued support for humanitarian efforts in Yemen. This includes their recent allocation of a substantial $1.2 billion support package and their relentless efforts to renew the truce and launch a comprehensive political process under the auspices of the UN.
Finally, we affirm that attempts to reignite the war in Yemen do not serve the interests of any party and would have severe consequences for the Yemeni people, who have endured immense suffering for far too many years. By prolonging the war, the Houthis are also exacerbating the threat posed by terrorism to Yemen’s security and stability, especially as al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) continues to launch its terrorist attacks.
We reiterate that reaching a comprehensive and lasting solution can only be realized through an inclusive national dialogue between all Yemeni stakeholders. We renew our full support for the efforts of the United Nations and its Special Envoy to achieve security, stability, and prosperity for Yemen and its people.
Thank you, Madam President.