[14/08/2026 05:21]

NEW YORK-SABA

The African A3 group at the United Nations Security Council has reaffirmed its unwavering support for Yemen’s sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity, stressing that Yemen’s future must be determined by Yemenis through an inclusive, UN-led political process.

In a statement delivered on behalf of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, and Liberia during a Security Council meeting on Yemen, the A3 also voiced deep concern over the severe deterioration in the country’s security situation and warned that renewed escalation risks pushing Yemen toward large-scale conflict.

The A3 reaffirmed its strong support for UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg and the UN-led political process, emphasizing that the future of Yemen must be written by Yemeni hands.

It also welcomed the Security Council’s press statement reaffirming Yemen’s sovereignty over its airspace and that all flights must receive prior approval from the Yemeni Government.

The group urged all Yemeni parties to move beyond conflict management and address the root causes of the crisis through genuine dialogue, stressing that peace cannot simply be managed but must be built through political engagement.

The A3 warned that recent developments across Ma’rib and Hadramout demonstrate how quickly hard-won gains can be lost, expressing alarm over reports of attacks since early August, including shelling of civilian areas and a large displacement camp in Ma’rib city.

It called for full compliance with international humanitarian law, particularly the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution, while warning that cross-border attacks against Saudi Arabia, attacks on energy infrastructure, and declared maritime blockades risk internationalizing the conflict.

The A3 also urged political actors in Aden and the southern governorates to resolve their differences through dialogue and preserve institutional cohesion.

On the humanitarian situation, the group described Yemen’s crisis as extremely grave, highlighting the devastating impact on women and girls. It said nearly 11 million women and girls require humanitarian assistance, including 5.5 million women of reproductive age and 750,000 pregnant women.

The A3 further highlighted the deterioration of Yemen’s health system and the measles outbreak in Ma’rib, which has recorded more than 1,600 cases and 12 deaths.

It expressed concern over the impact of strikes on Al-Makha port on August 9, 10, and 11, which damaged piers, commercial goods, and food supplies, affecting vital imports into the country.

The group called for full, safe, rapid, and unhindered humanitarian access, adequate and flexible funding, economic stabilization, and protection for humanitarian personnel and assets.

The A3 also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of UN personnel, humanitarian workers, NGO staff, civil society representatives, and personnel associated with diplomatic missions detained by the Houthi militias.

It welcomed the recent UN-brokered agreement to release more than 1,600 conflict-related detainees as a positive step toward rebuilding trust.

The A3 stressed that humanitarian assistance alone cannot resolve Yemen’s crisis, calling for practical arrangements to support economic recovery, institutional stabilization, livelihoods, essential services, and the restoration of public services.

On maritime security, the group warned that attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb, and the Gulf of Aden threaten freedom of navigation, disrupt supply chains, and increase global commodity costs.

It said attacks on Al-Makha port and the interception of an unmanned explosive vessel approaching its commercial berth demonstrate the growing threat to port infrastructure vital to Yemen’s survival.

Given Bab al-Mandeb’s strategic importance to Africa and global commerce, the A3 stressed that maritime security and Yemen’s political stability must be addressed together.

The A3 concluded by stressing that there is no military solution to the conflict and that the Yemeni people deserve peace, functioning institutions, and economic opportunity.

It called on all parties to step back from escalation, return to dialogue, and engage constructively with the UN-led process.

---