[14/06/2024 08:24]

NEW YORK - SABA
The Yemeni government emphasized that achieving peace and ending the conflict in Yemen has become a necessity and urgent demand more than ever before.

It requires the presence of a genuine and serious partner who prioritizes the interests of the Yemeni people over his own interests, believes in political partnership and equal rights for all Yemenis, and abandons polarization and the options of war.

The government also affirmed in its statement before the open session of the UN Security Council on the situation in the Middle East (Yemen), delivered by the Permanent Representative of Yemen to the United Nations Ambassador Abdullah al-Sa'adi that any peace process must be based on adherence to national, regional and international references, especially Security Council Resolution 2216.

In this regard, the government reiterated its commitment to the path of peace and its ongoing support for regional and international efforts and mediation, particularly the persistent mediation efforts of our brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman, and the efforts of the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy, aimed at empowering the Yemeni people to achieve their aspirations and economic, social and cultural development through the establishment of a just and comprehensive peace based on the agreed political settlement references, which are the Gulf Initiative and its implementation mechanism, the outcomes of the Inclusive National Dialogue Conference, and the relevant Security Council resolutions, foremost of which is Resolution 2216.

The government appreciates the sincere efforts and endeavors of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to improve the living conditions of the Yemeni people, achieve peace, restore state institutions, security and currency stability, and its constant efforts to end the humanitarian suffering of the Yemenis, which was caused by the Houthi militias supported by the Iranian regime.

The statement also addressed the terrorist Houthi militias' abduction of dozens of employees of United Nations agencies, international and local non-governmental organizations in Sana'a, in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and a blatant threat to the lives and safety of these employees.

The government strongly condemns this crime, noting that it has repeatedly warned, for years, of the risks of overlooking the Houthi militias' violations and the methods of extortion and pressure they practice on humanitarian organizations operating in Yemen, seeking to serve their political agenda and divert humanitarian aid to serve their security and military objectives, and turning the areas under their control into a prison for anyone who opposes their policies.

The statement strongly condemns the Houthi militias, through an illegal governing body under their control, for issuing death sentences against forty-five arbitrarily detained prisoners after abducting them and throwing them into prisons in previous years on false pretexts, in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, human rights law, and all international conventions and national laws.

The statement notes that these unjust rulings came at a time when the Yemeni government is making every effort, in coordination with the United Nations through the office of the Special Envoy and the relevant international organizations, to achieve a breakthrough in the file of detainees and forcibly disappeared persons, and to secure their release and end their suffering and the suffering of their families, in accordance with the principle of "all for all".

The statement also pointed out to the Houthi militias' continued commission of numerous violations, including the seizure of individuals' and companies' money, properties and financial assets, the use of the judiciary as a tool to terrorize their opponents and settle scores with their rivals, and the continuation of their repressive policies, muzzling of opinions and expression, and attempts to suppress and terrorize politicians, journalists, activists and citizens in the areas under their control, preventing them from expressing their views, condemning the current situation, and demanding their right to live in freedom and dignity. These actions undermine efforts to calm the situation and establish peace.

The statement renews the call for the international community, the United Nations, and human rights organizations to break their silence and condemn these criminal acts.

The statement also renews the Yemeni government's call for the United Nations and all international organizations working in Yemen to transfer their main headquarters to the temporary capital Aden, in order to ensure a safe and suitable environment for the work of these organizations and the provision of humanitarian services to all Yemenis in all regions without discrimination or obstacles. It also calls on the United Nations Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA) to quickly relocate its headquarters from the Houthi-controlled areas and free itself from the restrictions imposed by the Houthi militias on the movement and work of the mission since its establishment five years ago.

The statement indicates that the international community and this Council's overlooking of the shortcomings in the mission's performance has enabled the Houthi militias to use Hodeidah and its ports as a platform to threaten international navigation, security and regional and international peace.

The statement pointed out that the cessation of oil exports due to the Houthi attacks on oil facilities and oil export ports has deprived the Yemeni government and the Yemeni people of their most important economic resources and sources of income, resulting in the loss of about 65% of government revenues.

Consequently, the government has been unable to provide basic services and pay state employees' salaries regularly, leading to a budget deficit, a contraction of the national economy by more than 50% of GDP, and a spike in inflation rates to record levels, as well as a deterioration in the national currency exchange rate and basic services.

The statement said that the recent events and the escalation of the Houthi militias in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab strait have led to the disruption of trade flows and a rise in commodity prices due to the increased cost of insurance and maritime freight, reflecting a deterioration in living standards and an increase in economic distress and poverty for most of the population, with poverty rates reaching 78% and unemployment reaching 35%.

The basic services have also witnessed a sharp decline, exacerbating the economic and humanitarian situation and weakening the health system, as Yemen faces one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, with 18.2 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and 17.6 million people suffering from acute food insecurity.

The number of internally displaced persons from Houthi-controlled areas has also increased to about 4.5 million, living in random camps lacking the most basic services.

Despite these challenges, the statement emphasized the government's efforts to implement a comprehensive set of economic, administrative and financial reforms.

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