[23/07/2024 08:41]

NEW YORK - SABA
The Yemeni government affirmed that the only way to protect and preserve international security and peace is to support the government in completing the extension of its influence over the entire national territory and implementing the resolutions of international legitimacy, particularly Resolution 2216.

It called on the Security Council and the international community to assume their responsibilities in this regard.
This came in Yemen's statement delivered before the United Nations Security Council at the open session on the situation in the Middle East (Yemen) on Tuesday in New York City by the Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Abdullah al-Sa'adi.

The statement expressed Yemeni government's strongest condemnation of the Israeli aggression and Israel's violation of the sovereignty of Yemeni territory, in flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter, international law, and all international norms and laws, and held it fully responsible for any repercussions due to its airstrikes.

The statement called on the terrorist Houthi militia to refrain from attracting foreign interventions, stop its subversive approach, forms of violence, and military escalation, and its insistence on thwarting peace efforts, prolonging the war in Yemen and the region, and endangering regional and international peace and security.

It warned the terrorist Houthi militias against continuing to hold the fate of Yemen and its people hostage and dragging them into its futile battles in service of the interests of the Iranian regime and its expansionist project in the region, and warned Iran and Israel against any attempt to turn the Yemeni territories through the renegade militias into a battlefield for their wars and destructive projects in the region.

The statement also warned the Houthi militias against returning to the option of comprehensive escalation and returning the situation to violence, which would multiply the prolonged humanitarian suffering, destroy what remains of the components of life and scarce livelihoods for the Yemeni people, and squander the regional and international efforts to end the war and restore the path of peace, stability, and development.

The statement reiterated the Yemeni government's commitment to the path of peace and its continued support for regional and international efforts and mediation, especially the relentless efforts of our brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman, and the efforts of the UN Special Envoy, aimed at achieving a just and comprehensive peace based on the agreed upon references for the political solution, which are the GCC Initiative and its implementation mechanism, the outcomes of the Inclusive National Dialogue Conference, and the relevant Security Council resolutions, led by Resolution 2216.

The statement pointed out to the continued violations by the Houthi militias against humanitarian work and relief efforts in the areas under their control.

The latest of these violations were the abduction and detention of dozens of United Nations agency staff, international and local non-governmental organizations working in Yemen, including women and men, from their homes, looting their property, terrorizing their families, and forcibly disappearing them.
Their whereabouts remain unknown even after more than a month, in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and national legislation, and a direct threat to the lives, security and safety of these employees.

The statement of Yemen delivered by Yemen's Representative to the United Nations Abdullah al-Sa'adi warned of the risks of ignoring these violations, through which the Houthi militias seek to serve their political agenda and divert humanitarian aid to serve their security and military objectives, and turn the areas under their control into a prison for all who oppose their policies.

The statement also renewed the government's demand to relocate the headquarters of UN agencies and international organizations to the transitional capital of Aden to alleviate the pressure imposed by these militias on the work of these organizations and ensure the provision of a suitable and sound environment for them to carry out their tasks away from interference, and to continue their humanitarian work without restrictions or obstacles, and to deliver humanitarian aid to the needy and most vulnerable groups.

It expressed the government's regret for the measures taken by the United Nations offices in Yemen to protect their staff and save their lives, affirming that these measures were not at the required or expected level, and did not rise to the level of the 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 without any conditions.

The statement also referred to the continued terrorist Houthi militias since June 25, 2024, by detaining four aircraft (out of a total of 7 aircraft) belonging to the Yemeni Airlines Company with their crews, which is added to the obstacles and violations practiced by the militias against the Yemeni Airlines Company, the national carrier for passengers to and from Yemen, since the resumption of flights from Sana'a airport.

It added that the Houthi militias are still freezing the company's accounts amounting to more than $100 million since March 2023.

Furthermore, in the context of the violations and practices carried out against the national carrier, the private insurance company for Yemeni aircraft (Axis Specialty Limited) has been notified of the cancellation of flights to and from the airports operated by the Houthi militias and the airspace under their control, as the airspace and geography in the areas controlled by the Houthis are considered high-risk in terms of insurance, flight safety and passengers.

It stressed that if the flights continue to operate, it will result in adjusting the company's insurance coverage from 100% to 81%, which will add financial burdens and losses on Yemenia Airlines that the company will not be able to bear, and thus disrupting the ability of Yemenis in different parts of Yemen to travel to and from Yemen and exacerbating the economic burdens and the humanitarian crisis.

The government's statement pointed out that the current problem facing Yemen Airways is one of the consequences of operating flights to and from Sana'a airport, as part of the humanitarian truce mediated by the United Nations since April 2022.

I also call on the Security Council to fulfill its responsibilities and take necessary actions to compel the Houthi militia to end these practices and violations against Yemen Airways, and to immediately release the detained aircraft, their technical crews, and their frozen assets, to prevent the disruption of the national carrier's operations to and from Yemen and the exacerbation of the suffering of the Yemeni people.

The government statement delivered in the UNSC's open session on Tuesday also referred to the disastrous 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 Yemeni people's aspirations for security, stability, and development.

It said that this coup has plunged millions of Yemenis into poverty and hunger, destroyed infrastructure, killed hundreds of thousands, and exacerbated the phenomenon of internal displacement of more than 4.5 million people. Yemen has lost about 23 years of development gains, and more than 80% of the population has been deprived of basic social services. The Gross Domestic Product has shrunk by nearly half, and the economy has lost more than $126 billion at least, due to the halt in oil production and export as a result of Houthi attacks on oil facilities and export ports, depriving the Yemeni government and people of their most important economic resources and main sources of income.

The statement added that the government, facing this disastrous situation, is working to continue the path of economic, financial, and governmental service reforms to address these challenges, improve living conditions, contain the deterioration of the national currency, rationalize spending, and support the decisions of the Central Bank of Yemen aimed at protecting the banking system, ending monetary distortions, enhancing bank supervision and their foreign transactions, and optimally responding to disclosure standards and compliance with the requirements of combating money laundering and terrorist financing.

It pointed out that there are possible opportunities to achieve some progress, especially with the support of regional and international partners within the framework of a comprehensive program for economic recovery, reconstruction, and the achievement of sustainable development goals.

The Yemeni government welcomes the announcement made by the UN Special Envoy regarding the cancellation of the recent decisions against a number of banks and the banking sector, the resumption of flights through Sana'a International Airport, and facilitating flights 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 create favorable conditions for a constructive dialogue to end all the Houthi's destructive practices against the banking sector, the economy, and the national currency, and fulfill the obligations outlined in the roadmap, foremost of which is the resumption of oil exports.

The statement also expressed the government's regret over the stalling of the negotiations on the file of prisoners and detainees, which were recently held in the brotherly Sultanate of Oman, and the thwarting of any exchange opportunity during this round due to the stubbornness of the Houthi militias.

The government calls on the Security Council and the international community to fulfill their humanitarian responsibilities and put pressure on these militias to complete and address this humanitarian file, affirming the government's firm position on the release of all prisoners, detainees, and forcibly disappeared persons based on the principle of all for all.

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