S/2021/56 Security Council

I have the honour to enclose herewith a copy of the briefings provided by Mr. Martin Griffiths, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen; Mr. Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator; and Mr. David Beasley, Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme; as well as the statements delivered by the representatives of China, Estonia, France, India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, the Niger, Norway, the Russian Federation, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tunisia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America and Viet Nam, in connection with the video-teleconference on “The situation in the Middle East (Yemen)” convened on Thursday, 14 January 2021. A statement was also delivered by His Excellency Mr. Ahmed Awad Ahmed Binmubarak, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Yemen. In accordance with the procedure set out in the letter by the President of the Security Council addressed to Permanent Representatives of the members of the Security Council dated 7 May 2020 (S/2020/372), which was agreed in the light of the extraordinary circumstances caused by the coronavirus disease pandemic, these briefings and statements will be issued as a document of the Security Council.

The year 2020 ended on a harrowing note for Yemen. On 30 December, a vicious attack targeted the newly formed Cabinet of the Yemeni Government upon their arrival at Aden’s civilian airport. Dozens of civilians were injured or killed, including Government officials, humanitarian workers and a journalist. Deliberate attacks on civilians or civilian objects are prohibited by international humanitarian law and may constitute a war crime. I condemn this attack in the strongest terms possible. I offer my most sincere condolences for those who lost their lives, as well as my hopes for a full and speedy recovery to the injured. I also want to express my solidarity with the new Government, which has demonstrated its resolve to stay in Aden to carry out its duties to the Yemeni people despite the security risks. In the days after the attack, I travelled to Riyadh to meet President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi Mansour, and to Aden to see the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister; I also met with the Governor. In Aden, the wreckage I saw at the attack site shook me. The extent of the damage was extraordinary. The Government launched an investigation into the Aden attack. Earlier today, the Government made public its conclusions that Ansar Allah was behind the attack. For its part, Ansar Allah has denied any direct or indirect involvement in the attack. The attack was an unacceptable act of violence. It cast a dark shadow over what should have been a moment of hope in the efforts to achieve peace in Yemen. The formation of the Cabinet and its return to Aden was a major milestone for the Riyadh agreement and for the stability of State institutions, the economy and the peace process. I congratulate President Mansour, the parties to the Riyadh agreement and all political parties and components that supported and contributed to this process. I also commend the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its success in its role as mediator. I am extremely concerned about the impact of the decision of the United States to designate Ansar Allah as a foreign terrorist organization. We fear that inevitably there will be a chilling effect on my efforts to bring the parties together. We all hope to have absolute clarity on an expansive package of licenses and exemptions to be able to carry out our duties mandated by the Security Council. In any event, I remain committed to engaging with all parties, including Ansar Allah, designated or not, so as to end the conflict in Yemen. However, none of the foregoing is anywhere near as important as the humanitarian consequences, as we will hear from Mr. Lowcock. I strongly associate myself with his view that the decision will contribute to famine in Yemen, and therefore should be revoked on humanitarian grounds at the earliest opportunity. The path to peace in Yemen was never easy, and I believe that it is now a great deal more difficult than a month ago. But there is a way out. We must remember that, even after all the tragedies that Yemenis across the country have suffered, peace is possible where there is the will to make it happen. Every month for the last nine months, we have discussed in the Security Council the hopes we shared that the parties might agree to the joint declaration — a set of proposals covering a nationwide ceasefire, some measures of humanitarian and economic relief for the Yemeni people and, of course, the resumption of the political process. The fact is that the two parties agreed in principle to the nationwide ceasefire but differences have remained on the economic and humanitarian proposals, in particular those concerning the manner in which salaries would be paid to civil servants, the reactivation of the ports of Al-Hudaydah for imports and the opening of Sana’a airport for international flights. From the beginning, the United Nations has been clear that these humanitarian measures need to be introduced. Indeed, in my very first briefing to the Security Council I called for the opening of the Sana’a International Airport (see S/PV.8235). The parties also need to agree on the release of more prisoners and detainees. I am encouraged that the parties will be expected to meet soon to make progress on this file. I know that the negotiations on the joint declaration have been cumbersome and frustrating and that they cannot continue indefinitely. But let me be clear, the parties can slice and dice the set of proposals contained in the joint declaration in any way they wish. It can be a whole package. It can be done in parts. I have no objection to the way the measures are adopted, because I still believe that it is right to pursue the proposals contained in the declaration. Furthermore, in the last few days alone, I have received candid advice from Member States in the region that now is the time to pursue a successful conclusion to the negotiations. In any case, irrespective of the outcome of the negotiations, we need to maintain our focus and that of the parties on the primary goal, which is to resume an inclusive political process designed to comprehensively end the conflict. Agreeing on a political end-state is of fundamental importance. It is the way the war ends. That is why, for the parties, resuming the political process is more than an obligation — it is a duty. Let me end on a more positive note. Progress on the Riyadh agreement is significant. It shows us that reconciliation between opposing parties can be achieved. Despite all their bitter opposition, and with the tireless efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as mediator, the two sides made peace with each other. It therefore can be done.

The most urgent priority in Yemen right now is to prevent a massive famine. The data show that 16 million people will go hungry this year. Already, about 50,000 people are essentially starving to death in what is essentially a small famine. Another 5 million are just one step behind them. Every decision the world makes right now must take this into account. On Sunday, the United States announced it will designate Ansar Allah as a specially designated terrorist entity and foreign terrorist organization under United States domestic law. For months, aid agencies have unanimously opposed this designation. They believe it will accelerate Yemen’s slide into a large-scale famine. The reasons agencies hold that belief are not well enough understood in some quarters, so I am going to use most of my time today to explain them. Security Council members will recall that I told them last month that Yemen imports 90 per cent of its food. Nearly all that food is brought in through commercial channels. Aid agencies give people vouchers or cash to buy commercially imported food in the market. Aid agencies cannot — they simply cannot — replace the commercial import system. What this means is that what the commercial importers do is the single-biggest determinant of life and death in Yemen. I also told the Council last month that we had been talking to the commercial traders and asking them what impact the then-mooted United States designation would have on them. They told us — and I told the Council — that they were not sure they would be able to continue importing food into Yemen in those circumstances. They thought the suppliers, bankers, shippers and insurers they do business with could decline to do business with them if the designation proceeded. Council members and I may think that the suppliers, bankers, insurers and shippers should behave differently. That does not matter. What matters is what they decide to do. Accordingly, we went back to the commercial traders over the last few days to ask what they now think, given that the designation has happened. Already, Yemenis are crowding into markets and shops to stockpile whatever they can afford. Families are terrified that no more food or other supplies will make it into the country. The Yemeni companies that bring in most of the food are using words like “disaster”, “havoc” and “unimaginable” when they describe to us what they fear is coming. For years, these companies have been moving mountains to sustain their very risk-averse global supply chains — including the suppliers, banks, insurers and shipping lines. Some suppliers, banks, shippers and insurers are ringing up their Yemeni partners and saying they now plan to walk away from Yemen altogether. They say the risks are too high. They fear being accidentally or otherwise caught up in United States regulatory action that would put them out of business or into jail. Some of the Yemeni traders’ suppliers, bankers, shippers and insurers are saying they are hoping they can keep going. If they can, they say, their best-case estimate is that costs could go up by 400 per cent. That will make it too expensive for many importers to keep doing business. And in any case, hardly anyone in Yemen could afford to buy food brought in at those prices. The United States has said it will introduce licences so that some humanitarian aid and imports can continue. Would that help? Well, first, those licences do not yet exist. Aid agencies have no confirmed details on how they will work or what activities will be eligible. The details apparently will not be ready until the day that the designation takes force, on 19 January. But secondly, licences and exemptions for humanitarian agencies will not solve the problem. As I have said, it is not humanitarian agencies that are importing most of the food. This is not the only problem we face. The Security Council has heard me explain many times what is needed to prevent famine in Yemen: protection of civilians, access for aid workers, funding for the aid operation, support for the economy and peace. Let us start with the protection of civilians. I condemn in the strongest possible terms the attack on Aden airport that Mr. Griffiths just described. More than 20 people died, including three humanitarian workers. Dozens more people were injured. Humanitarian access problems in Government-held areas have become worse in the last few months. Recent incidents include warehouse break-ins, detention of aid workers, seizure of relief items and attacks on humanitarian premises. The trend is worrisome. But the most severe challenges to rapid and unimpeded access remain in the north. I have no good news on that to report this month. Neither do I have good news on funding for the aid operation either. Humanitarian crises need continuous funding until the emergency is over. Past contributions to the aid operation in Yemen saved millions of lives. But those past contributions will not save a single life tomorrow or the next day. That money has already been spent. In 2020, we received $1.7 billion for the United Nations response plan, which represents about half of what we needed; that amount was less than half of what we got the year before. As Council members know, most of the reduction was because Gulf donors gave much less last year. The aid operation used to help 13.5 million people every month. Now we are helping just over 9 million. Less money means stopping key programmes, including food aid. Mr. Beasley will tell Council members what is going to happen next. The 2021 response plan will be released next month. It will be similar to the 2020 plan — probably around $3.4 billion. We call on donors to pledge generously and to disburse funds quickly. On the economy, beyond what I have said, let me just repeat that Yemen needs regular foreign-exchange injections to stabilize the currency, finance critical import flows and lower prices in local markets. This worked well in the past, and it could work again. On progress towards peace, I have nothing to add to what Mr. Griffiths has already said. Let me, to clear any doubt, summarize my main message today. I am not questioning the intent of the United States invocation of the foreign terrorist organization designation. I am answering three questions. First, what is the likely humanitarian impact? The answer is a large-scale famine the likes of which we have not seen for nearly 40 years. Secondly, would licences and exemptions for aid agencies prevent that result? The answer is no. Thirdly, what, then, would prevent such a result? The answer is a reversal of the decision, as well as, of course, action on all the other issues on which we brief the Security Council every month.

The Council has just heard from Mr. Lowcock and Mr. Griffiths, so I will not repeat what they said, but it is my responsibility to tell the Security Council that the foreign terrorist organization designation is a catastrophe for Yemen’s civilians. As Mr. Lowcock just highlighted, more than 16 million people face a hunger crisis in 2021, including 5 million already on the brink of starvation. The World Food Programme (WFP), which currently reaches 13 million people with some form of food assistance, concluded that the foreign terrorist organization designation would force 80 per cent of Yemen’s population — 24 million people — into severe hunger, at level 3, 4 or 5 of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Acute Food Insecurity classification. Within a couple of months, the 5 million people already in IPC level 4 could be pushed over the abyss into famine. We are looking at an all-out disaster in Yemen. Even worse, the foreign terrorist organization designation comes at a time when our Yemen operation is already desperately underfunded. Last November, I told the Council (see S/2020/1109) that the WFP needed $2.6 billion for 2021 to support 13 million people, including reversing the April 2020 move to half-rations for 9 million people. I warned that, to stave off famine, we needed — at an absolute minimum — $1.9 billion for 2021. So far, we have received a mere $386 million in confirmed contributions. For the next six months alone, we still require $860 million. The foreign terrorist organization designation will ratchet up the humanitarian crisis in Yemen to a whole new and terrifying level. As a result, up to 4 million people may receive no food assistance at all, and the entire population of Yemen could be plunged into an unparalleled hunger and humanitarian crisis. That means no food, no medicines and no fuel — the basic necessities of life out of reach for millions, building to a massive famine in 2021. I have to warn the Council that I am concerned about the safety and security of humanitarian workers in Yemen. Imagine what 24 million starving people would do if they see trucks with food heading to other areas. The foreign terrorist organization designation may finally break the Yemeni people. It will also make it even harder for the humanitarian community to relieve their suffering. Whatever decision is made, it is critical that the humanitarian community can carry out our life-saving work without fear of sanctions or censure. I believe the foreign terrorist organization designation should be reassessed, re-evaluated and reversed. That is the only way to avoid the catastrophic famine that now threatens to overwhelm Yemen.

I wish to thank Special Envoy Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General Lowcock and Executive Director Beasley for their briefings. I also welcome the participation of Mr. Ahmed Binmubarak, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Yemen, in today’s meeting. Currently, Yemen is facing multiple challenges, such as violent conflict, economic crisis, the coronavirus disease pandemic and food security. It is deeply mired in a large-scale humanitarian disaster. The tumultuous situation in Yemen and the plight of its people are indeed distressing. All parties in Yemen and the international community must take immediate action. First, it is critical to achieve a ceasefire and stop the violence as soon as possible. Violent conflicts continue in northern Yemen. The situation in Al- Hudaydah and other places is escalating. Saudi Arabia continues to suffer from sporadic missile and drone attacks. China is deeply concerned. We have seen time and again that military means cannot solve the problem and that the use of force can only bring disaster. We call upon all parties to the conflict to heed the call by Secretary-General Guterres and Special Envoy Griffiths for a ceasefire, and to immediately cease hostilities in order to create the conditions for advancing the political process. The United Nations Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement should continue to carry out its mandate to monitor the ceasefire so as to ensure the smooth operation of Al-Hudaydah port. China strongly condemns the 30 December attack on the Aden International Airport and deeply mourns the lives lost. China firmly rejects all attacks on civilians and civilian facilities. We call on all parties involved in the Yemeni issue to put the interests of Yemen and its people first and to refrain from taking any action that might escalate tensions. Secondly, the political process must be accelerated. Last month, Yemen’s new Government was sworn in, which represents key progress in the implementation of the Riyadh agreement, as well as an important step towards stabilizing the situation in Yemen, improving State institutions and enhancing political cooperation among parties. China welcomes that achievement and appreciates the responsible attitudes shown by the relevant parties in Yemen and the contributions made by certain countries of the region, such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. A United Nations-led comprehensive and inclusive political process is the only way to end the conflict in Yemen. We encourage all parties in Yemen to maintain an open dialogue, build mutual trust and support Special Envoy Griffiths and countries of the region in actively carrying out good offices to push the parties to bridge their differences and build consensus, with a view to restarting the comprehensive political settlement process at an early date and restoring peace, stability and order in Yemen. Throughout the process, Yemen’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity must be fully upheld and respected. China takes note of the decisions taken by certain countries against the Houthis. We agree with the evaluations and comments of the Secretary-General, Under-Secretary-General Lowcock, Executive Director Beasley of the World Food Programme and many countries and are seriously concerned about the possible political and humanitarian impact of that move. I want to emphasize that the Yemeni issue must be resolved through United Nations-led peace negotiations. That is the primary goal, and the entire international community should play a constructive role in that regard. Thirdly, together we must save lives. The people of Yemen are the primary victims of the crisis. The briefings we just heard showed the severity of the economic and humanitarian situation in Yemen. Oil shortages, currency depreciation and the spread of the pandemic threaten all aspects of people’s lives. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification findings regarding Yemen, published last month, once again sounded the alarm of famine. We must help save lives. There is no time to lose. The international community, especially the donor countries, must increase financial and in-kind assistance to Yemen to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian crisis on the ground, and make every effort to avoid the spread of famine. United Nations agencies must efficiently and effectively carry out humanitarian operations, strengthen coordination with countries of the region and regional organizations and work together to help the Yemeni people overcome the difficulties they face. All parties to the conflict must ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access and ensure that humanitarian supplies are delivered to the people in need and that vulnerable groups, such as women and children, are effectively protected. The problem of the FSO SAFER oil tanker must also be resolved as soon as possible. For years, China has provided significant food aid to Yemen, reaching most of its provinces. China recently signed a bilateral agreement on economic and technical cooperation with Yemen and will provide ¥100 million in assistance through a bilateral channel. We will continue to provide rice and medical supplies and other humanitarian assistance to the Government and the people of Yemen in order to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people. Fourthly, we must strengthen regional security cooperation. The settlement of the Yemeni issue hinges on a good regional security environment. Recently, we have seen a turnaround in the relations among relevant countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, thereby injecting new impetus into easing the situation in the Gulf region. China welcomes that. Countries in the Gulf region should not only be beneficiaries of regional peace and security but also be active promoters and effectively play a leading role. We call on the international community and the Gulf countries to work together to launch an inclusive dialogue process through building a multilateral dialogue platform in the Gulf region with a view to forging consensus on regional security issues, enhancing mutual trust, resolving differences and friction and maintaining peace and stability in the Gulf region.

I thank Special Envoy Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General Lowcock and Executive Director Beasley for their briefings. I also welcome the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Yemen Mr. Binmubarak. It is saddening and frustrating that, despite the worsening humanitarian situation and all peace efforts, hostilities in Yemen continue, causing more and more civilian casualties. We strongly condemn the heinous attack on Aden International Airport on 30 December, which took place just after the landing of a plane carrying the members of the new Government. According to credible assessments, the attack — in which 27 people were killed, including three staff members of the International Committee of the Red Cross — was likely carried out by the Houthis. It is another tragic event for the Yemeni people and another deliberate and indiscriminate targeting of civilian infrastructure — clearly a serious violation of international humanitarian law. Unfortunately, there have been other attacks, in Al-Hudaydah and Taiz, that have claimed numerous civilian lives. We call on all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law and to protect civilians, especially women and children. On a more positive note, we welcome the recent formation of the new Government of Yemen as an essential step to the implementation of the Riyadh agreement. Regardless of the Government’s current challenges, we hope that this step will contribute to a comprehensive political solution in Yemen, with the full, equal and meaningful participation of women. In that regard, we remind all parties that there is no military solution to the conflict, and we call upon them to agree on the joint declaration without delay. Regarding the humanitarian situation in Yemen, we are very concerned about the rising food insecurity there — almost 50,000 people are estimated to be facing famine by July. This calls for immediate, unhindered humanitarian access and stepping up humanitarian assistance, as well as ensuring that fuel and commercial items are imported. We are concerned about the possible impact of the designation by the United States of Ansar Allah as a foreign terrorist organization, especially as it relates to the economic situation and the delivery of humanitarian aid. It might also complicate United Nations efforts to negotiate a political solution. As a final note, we underline the obligation of all parties to prevent violations of international human rights law and to ensure accountability for all violations and abuses. We also reiterate our full support of the recommendation to the Security Council of the Group of Eminent International and Regional Experts on Yemen — to integrate the human rights dimensions of the conflict in Yemen more fully into its agenda.

I would like to thank Mr. Martin Griffiths, Special Envoy of the Secretary- General for Yemen, Mr. Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, and Mr. David Beasley, Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme, for their briefings. We are very concerned about the already catastrophic worsening situation in Yemen. The much-needed political process and humanitarian response are under threat. France strongly condemns the 30 December attack in Aden against the new Government of Yemen, to which we express our full support. The attack caused the deaths of more than 20 civilians, including three humanitarian workers. That is unacceptable. The protection of civilians, including humanitarian workers, is an absolute priority. We support the independent work of the United Nations Panel of Experts to identify those responsible, who must be sanctioned and tried. I welcome the formation of the new Government of Yemen. I also welcome the presence here today of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Yemen. The Government will have to work towards an inclusive political solution to the crisis. It will have the serious responsibility of working for the Yemeni people in putting an end to the seizure and misappropriation of public funds and humanitarian assistance. We therefore urge all parties, in particular the Houthis, to renounce the escalation of violence, to move away from the military approach and to engage, in good faith, in direct talks under the leadership of Special Envoy Griffiths, who has our full support. Within the Security Council and beyond, all international players must make every effort to reach a ceasefire agreement and a negotiated solution. France is mobilized to support those efforts. The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate, as Mr. Lowcock and Mr. Beasley aptly described. With each passing day, the famine is becoming an even more implacable reality for many Yemenis. The parties must ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance to all those in need and respect their obligations under international humanitarian law. In that regard, we are extremely concerned about the serious humanitarian consequences that could result from the recent decisions taken by the United States. Finally, it is essential to allow the United Nations-mandated inspection mission to immediately access the FSO SAFER oil tanker. Urgent action is needed if we want to avoid a disaster. France will remain fully mobilized and engaged to promote peace in Yemen and de-escalation at the regional level.

Allow me to begin by welcoming to this meeting Mr. Ahmed Awad Ahmed Binmubarak, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Yemen. I also thank Special Envoy Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General Mark Lowcock and the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, David Beasley, for their briefings. I join other colleagues in conveying my heartfelt and sincere condolences to the Government and the people of Yemen and to the families of those who were killed in the attack at Aden International Airport. I also wish a speedy recovery to those who were grievously injured in that heinous attack. India strongly condemns the attack and views it as a deliberate attempt to undermine the ongoing peace efforts in Yemen. The targeting of the civilian airport and the killing of innocent civilians is unacceptable and cannot be justified for any reason whatsoever. The perpetrators of this heinous act should be held accountable, and I urge the international community to support the Government of Yemen in its efforts to do so. Similar missile attacks within Yemen and across the border into Saudi Arabia continued unabated in 2020. A strict implementation of the arms embargo, as envisaged in resolution 2216 (2015), and its effective monitoring are necessary to create the conditions for the complete elimination of such threats in future. We are also saddened by the tragic death of staff members of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the airport attack. These recurring incidents highlight the safety and security issues faced by humanitarian workers in Yemen. India commends the valiant efforts of all humanitarian workers to ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Yemeni people in need, despite the daunting challenges they face. However, this indiscriminate act should not be allowed to overshadow the recent significant achievements in the pursuit of peace in Yemen — the formation of the new Cabinet and the security redeployments in southern Yemen, as envisaged under the Riyadh agreement. India welcomes those positive steps, which have triggered a wave of hope. We appreciate the role played by Saudi Arabia and others in facilitating these developments. We also commend the new Government’s resolve to continue its efforts to achieve peace and stability in Yemen, despite the recent attacks. In 2020, there was also an increase in threats arising out of Yemen on commercial ships navigating the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. India is deeply worried by that trend, which threatens not only the safe passage of commercial vessels but also maritime security in the region. That issue deserves the Security Council’s immediate attention and calls for greater deliberation. We also remain concerned by the uptick in incidents of violence in Al- Hudaydah and Taiz, which has resulted in civilian deaths, especially of women and children. Those attacks are a flagrant violation of the ceasefire provisions of the Stockholm Agreement, and I urge all parties to fulfil their commitments under the Agreement. The preservation and full implementation of the Stockholm Agreement is even more critical today as there are predictions of a widespread famine in Yemen in 2021. It is extremely important that the Al-Hudaydah port and the other Red Sea ports remain operational to facilitate humanitarian shipments to Yemen. In his briefing, Under-Secretary-General Lowcock referred to the plight of the millions of Yemenis who face severe food insecurity and the Yemeni children who suffer from acute malnourishment. I cannot overstate the need for prioritizing humanitarian assistance to the people of Yemen. Having provided food and medical aid amounting to $5 million in the past, India will continue its assistance to the people of Yemen. India’s relationship with Yemen is centuries old, and its cornerstone is our people-people ties. The two countries are connected through the Indian Ocean, which has contributed to the flow of people between the two nations. In the past, Indian freedom fighters visited Aden to support Yemen’s independence; today Yemeni students come to India to study. There are nearly 300,000 Indians of Yemeni origin living in India, and 200,000 Indian-origin diaspora members in Yemen. A large number of Indians were working in Yemen until 2015, when we were forced to evacuate them. That strong connection with Yemen makes the instability, violence and suffering in Yemen painful for India and all Indians. If we are serious about finding a long-term solution to Yemen’s challenges, then the Council should press urgently for a sustainable and comprehensive political settlement of the conflict. I reaffirm India’s steadfast commitment to a Yemeni-led and Yemeni-owned political process with the goal of achieving an inclusive and peacefully negotiated settlement to the conflict. We urge all Yemeni parties to work efforts towards such a settlement. We take note of Special Envoy Martin’s efforts to initiate direct talks between the Government of Yemen and Ansar Allah to finalize the joint declaration. We believe that creating a conducive environment for such talks is also vital. The cessation of violence and other confidence-building measures, like prisoner exchanges, can help create such an environment. We encourage all parties to explore those measures. Before I conclude, let me also welcome the reconciliation and rapprochement among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and the signing of the Al- Ula Declaration at the recently concluded GCC Summit in Saudi Arabia. India acknowledges the key role of a unified GCC in promoting peace, stability and prosperity in Yemen. We also look forward to enhancing India’s institutional dialogue and partnership with the GCC in the coming months.

I want to start by thanking each of our three briefers this morning for the stark and really powerful messages they put before us. I also want to thank each of them for the courage and conviction that they bring to this table, and I think none of us today can be in any doubt that we simply have to step up to meet our responsibilities as a Security Council as we look at Yemen. In particular, I want to thank Executive Director Beasley for the extraordinary work that his aid workers are doing on the ground. But I will also say to him that I was very marked by his own remark today about the safety of his workers, and one thing I want to assure him of is Ireland’s support and concern for his work in Yemen. I would like to acknowledge also the presence today of newly appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister Binmubarak. I welcome the Minister to the Council. We congratulate him and his colleagues on his appointment. And I know we will hear from him a little bit later in the meeting. He has extraordinarily important responsibilities, unfortunately at very difficult and dark times, but Ireland certainly will work with him to be a constructive partner and to bring hope to the Yemeni people. It is deeply regrettable that the first meeting of the Security Council on Yemen in 2021 takes place in the shadow of such a heinous and indiscriminate attack as took place at Aden International Airport in December. There is no other way to put it: that was an unacceptable act of violence against civilian targets. It was also a direct attack on the Yemeni Government, represented at this meeting today. But it was also, as I see it, an affront to United Nations efforts to support an inclusive peace process. We support calls for an independent investigation of the attack, and we look forward to developments in that regard. We want to offer our sincere condolences to the people of Yemen and to those who have lost loved ones. We wish a swift recovery to all the injured. Of those who tragically lost their lives, I know there were a number of International Committee of the Red Cross staff members. Their deaths serve to remind us of the daily courage and extraordinary commitment of all humanitarian workers in areas of conflict. Deputy Minister Yasmin Al-Awadhi, one of the few women in the new Government, was also sadly killed. We deeply regret all loss of life. The Aden attack is a stark and terrible reminder of the urgent need for a political solution to the conflict in Yemen. We know, we have said it again and again, that there can be no military solution — so today again, we call on all actors in Yemen to return to the negotiating table and to demonstrate a genuine, sincere commitment to compromise and to dialogue. We welcome recent progress towards the implementation of the Riyadh agreement, including the formation of the new power-sharing Government, and call on all parties to the conflict to build on that as an opportunity and to move towards a comprehensive settlement to the conflict. We fully support Mr. Griffiths’ efforts, and we call on all parties to the conflict to engage urgently and seriously with his work, including by declaring an immediate nationwide ceasefire. He himself used the term “cumbersome”, and frustrating as it may be, we know it is the only way forward. I want to underline today also that we want to see all obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law respected. I want to underline today that we see a way forward that, in our view, must be inclusive, if it is to succeed. A truly inclusive discussion on the parameters for peace in Yemen simply must include the voices of women and young people, at every single stage of the process. Evidence shows us again and again that ensuring women’s empowerment and their full, equal and meaningful participation in decision- making is critical to conflict resolution, but also to the creation of sustainable and lasting peace. We were disappointed to note the absence of any women in the new Cabinet, and we hope that the important issue of women’s inclusion in key political councils will be addressed in the very near future. As co-Chair of the Council’s work on women and peace and security, along with our Mexican colleagues, we plan to monitor that and to keep in touch with the Yemeni Government. We hope to see progress. A second terrible, horrific shadow stalks Yemen as we begin this year — that of famine. Years of conflict have created this, the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Mr. Lowcock could not have been clearer with us today in again reminding us that not just will over half the population face crisis levels of food insecurity or worse by mid-2021, but that this is a growing and accelerating crisis happening before our eyes. Faced with such catastrophe, the Council simply must resolve to spare no effort to ensure protection and humanitarian assistance for the most vulnerable, including all internally displaced persons and marginalized groups in Yemen. We also believe we must make every effort to facilitate the ability of those important humanitarian workers we heard our briefers speak about earlier to deliver aid to those in need. Put simply, lives depend on that. We at this table all have a shared responsibility to help with that. We are deeply concerned by the implications of the decision of the United States to designate the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization. We share the concerns we have heard expressed at this meeting this morning and by many other leading humanitarian actors, including Martin Griffiths, David Beasley and Mark Lowcock today. The potential humanitarian consequences of such a designation are serious, as is the impact on prospects for progress on the political track in Yemen. We believe it is incumbent upon the United States to ensure that all possible measures are immediately taken to minimize the implications of that designation for the Yemeni people. Ireland is also increasingly alarmed at the situation regarding the oil tanker FSO SAFER. That is the definition of a ticking time bomb, which threatens a catastrophic environmental impact on Yemen, and indeed on the region. While we welcome the incremental progress made, we call on all parties to engage in a constructive spirit to ensure United Nations teams can access the tanker in the very near future. In conclusion, the shameful humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen has persisted for far too long and threatens to get worse as we just heard today. We call on all parties to urgently do everything in their power to bring this conflict to an end and to bring hope to the people of Yemen. Surely, the Council has heard enough today to convince us of that urgency. Frankly, the Yemeni people surely have suffered enough.

I congratulate the Government and the people of Tunisia on the tenth anniversary of the Tunisian revolution. My delegation welcomes His Excellency Mr. Ahmed Awad Ahmed Binmubarak, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Yemen, to this meeting and thanks Mr. Martin Griffiths, Mr. Mark Lowcock and Mr. David Beasley for their useful briefings. Kenya strongly condemns the attack on the civilian Aden International Airport, which we regard as a fundamentally terrorist act, and condemn the use of terrorism to advance any political position. The perpetrators of that attack should be held to account by the Security Council and by all responsible States, in the region and globally. We express our deepest condolences to the Government and the people of the Republic of Yemen for the lives lost during that detestable attack. Kenya commends the Government’s determination to continue working for the Yemeni people despite the serious continuing threats to it and its personnel. We welcome the news of the formation of a new Cabinet with the inclusion of members from the Southern Transitional Council, as well as the disengagement of troops in Abyan province and Aden city. Those events demonstrate the commitment by both sides to the Riyadh agreement and constitute a significant step in the right direction. We wish the new Cabinet every success. While we acknowledge those important steps towards achieving security that can be the basis of sustained peace, we urge all parties to remain focused on the signing of the joint declaration for a nationwide ceasefire, which is a key priority and a necessary deliverable in 2021. Kenya assures the Special Envoy of its full support in the mediation process and its actualization of a Yemeni-led and Yemeni-owned peace process. We appreciate the briefing by Mr. Griffiths and note his openness to deal with all parties who can bring peace and reconciliation to Yemen. However, we urge him to show caution in the choices made under such an open approach. While we understand that making peace requires settlement between combatants, we also believe that the international community does not wish for peace processes to reward terrorism by according perpetrators with political recognition and the legitimacy it implies. A balance must be struck, in a clear manner, if we are to have a sustained peace in Yemen that is a platform for the greater regional stability the Council seeks. We hope that the process, in addition to mediating successfully between the parties, will enable the dismantling of the institutions and networks that facilitate radicalization and recruitment into terrorism in Yemen. We urge the Council to take note of the role of external actors, particularly States that have serious security interests in the region and be willing to undertake actions that allow them to allow Yemen the benefits of a Yemeni-led and Yemeni- owned peace process. Despite the positive progress on the political front, the humanitarian situation sadly continues to deteriorate. We appreciate the candour of Mr. Beasley in his briefing on the challenges of providing humanitarian aid, not only in Yemen but with regard to the expanding needs in different conflict zones. The scale of the crisis is indeed being made worse, and the desperation being experienced can complicate and reverse the Council’s duty to deal with threats to peace and security. We urge the upscaling of contributions by the existing donors, and also agree with Mr. Beasley’s call for the more financially able countries in the region to do even more to assist the people of Yemen overcome this emergency. In conclusion, I reaffirm Kenya’s commitment to Yemen’s peace and security and all efforts in assisting its suffering people.

We welcome the presence of the Yemeni Foreign Minister. We would also like to thank Special Envoy Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General Mark Lowcock and the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, David Beasley, for their briefings and very useful remarks. I begin by reiterating our full support for the Special Envoy in finding a political solution to the situation in Yemen and by acknowledging the efforts of humanitarian actors to reduce the human suffering amid the most serious humanitarian crisis facing us today. We therefore once again echo the Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire. That is essential in order to better address the pandemic, which is exacerbating the grave situation in Yemen. Mexico condemns in the strongest terms the attacks on Aden airport on 30 December and on the city of Al-Hudaydah on 1 January. We extend our condolences to the Yemeni people and the families of the victims, and we particularly regret the death of three aid workers of the International Committee of the Red Cross. For Mexico, the increase in violence in Yemen over the past month is of great concern. We strongly call on the Houthi militias and all military groups in Yemen to lay down their weapons and refrain from any act that incites violence against the civilian population. Violence only breeds more violence. We therefore call on the parties to engage in dialogue and actively participate in the political process facilitated by the United Nations. We acknowledge the efforts that culminated in the formation of the new Cabinet of the Government of Yemen, which was recently sworn in and includes representatives of the Southern Transitional Council, as part of the implementation of the Riyadh agreement. We regret, however, that the Cabinet does not include any women, and we underline the importance of promoting the meaningful participation of women both in the Government and in all other aspects of the country’s political, economic and social life. Mexico is following closely and with great concern the humanitarian situation in Yemen, which is impacting more than 80 per cent of its population. As we have heard, the risk of famine seems imminent. The population affected by food insecurity is unprecedented. There are more than 24 million people who are highly dependent on the humanitarian assistance they receive. If that trend continues, in the coming months, as we have heard, 5 million people will be at the most severe stage of food insecurity. That is in addition to the presence of diseases such as cholera, malaria and measles, among others. The impact that the conflict has had on education is also of major concern to my country. The attacks on educational infrastructure represent a violation of international humanitarian law, and their consequences have been devastating for the education of thousands of girls and boys. Moreover, that increases the risk of children becoming victims of sexual violence or targets for recruitment by armed groups. Mexico urges the Government of Yemen to cooperate with UNICEF and with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict in order to restore and re-establish educational services with the speed that the matter deserves, taking into account the priority that the right to education represents. While commending the efforts of humanitarian organizations and United Nations agencies, we recognize the need for humanitarian assistance to be accompanied by a cessation of hostilities, political stability and measures to promote economic recovery. In that context, we are very concerned about the impact that the recent designation of one of the parties to the conflict as a terrorist organization will have on much-needed humanitarian work. Such a designation will affect the funding of humanitarian organizations and their ability to provide medical assistance, which is contrary to their obligations under international humanitarian law. We therefore stress that the space for humanitarian work in crises such as the one we are dealing with today must be safeguarded. Finally, we express our concern over the continuing delays in the inspection of the FSO SAFER oil tanker. It is urgent that the deployment of the United Nations team be facilitated in order to avoid a possible environmental catastrophe, which would further complicate the critical humanitarian situation in Yemen and the whole region.

I would like to thank Mr. Martin Griffiths, Mr. Mark Lowcock and Lieutenant General Guha for their briefings on the situation in Yemen. My thanks also go to Mr. David Beasley for his insightful presentation. From one briefing to the next, we have listened to the leaders of United Nations and humanitarian agencies describe an increasingly untenable situation in Yemen, especially for the civilian population, who for 10 years have been suffering the torments of war and its devastation. Every time we rejoice in a small glimmer of hope, those hopes are quickly dashed. While the release of thousands of prisoners and, most recently, the formation of the consensus Government, led by Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalek Saeed, represent genuine progress, the 30 December attacks on Aden airport and near the presidential palace are very regrettable. We therefore call on the new Yemeni Government to work, as a priority, to restore security and stability in the country. We call on all parties to work together for the return of peace in Yemen and for the good of all its people. In that regard, my country calls on regional actors and Security Council members with influence on the parties in conflict to step up their efforts to bring the parties closer together and to support them in the negotiation process. In that regard, my delegation would like to commend the mediation efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which contributed to the formation of the unity Government in Yemen. Everything must be done to de-escalate the situation and give the negotiations a real chance based on the proposals of Special Envoy Griffiths. At this stage of my remarks, like the United Nations agencies on the ground, I wish to draw the Council’s attention to the consequences that the recent designation of the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization could have. It could in fact have a negative impact on the delivery of humanitarian aid in some regions of the country and, as a result, hinder the political process. There is an urgent need to address the already difficult humanitarian situation, made more complex by the coronavirus disease pandemic, the lack of funding for assistance programmes, the continuation of deadly military campaigns and food insecurity. Recent figures published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Food Programme and UNICEF indicate the emergence of several pockets of famine and acute food insecurity in the country, which threaten several million Yemenis, including women and children, during the current year. That is why we are urgently appealing to donors to show more generosity towards the Yemeni population so much in need. We especially call on the countries that announced contributions at the donors’ conference for Yemen, particularly those in the region, to honour their commitments in order to ensure the funding of the aid programmes on which several thousand Yemenis now depend. In conclusion, I would like to reaffirm the Niger’s strong support for Special Envoy Griffiths as well as the Heads of United Nations agencies, for their tireless commitment to restoring dialogue among the Yemeni parties so as to lay the foundations for a way out of the crisis, which has lasted too long and necessarily requires the resumption of a genuinely inclusive political process, led by the Yemenis themselves.

I would first like to thank Special Envoy Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General Lowcock and Executive Director Beasley for their introductory remarks. Norway joins the Security Council’s consideration of the situation in Yemen after some six years of conflict. The use of military force has led only to human suffering and the destruction of an already fragile country. Yemen is experiencing the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Pockets of famine-like conditions have returned to Yemen for the first time in two years. It is crucial, perhaps now more than ever, for the parties to the conflict to agree to meet in direct consultations, under the auspices of Special Envoy Griffiths, aimed at bridging differences with regard to the joint declaration, and to agree on a nationwide ceasefire, humanitarian and economic measures and the resumption of political consultations. The establishment of a unity Government in Aden and the steps taken to implement the Riyadh agreement are highly welcome. We appreciate the efforts of all parties in that regard, especially Saudi Arabia. It is now important to ensure further and continued implementation as well as a commitment to stability in the south. I echo the comments made by the briefers and colleagues and strongly condemn the attacks on Aden airport and the presidential palace on 30 December, which left several civilians dead or injured, including three humanitarian workers from the International Committee of the Red Cross. That was an unacceptable assault on the political process, civilians and humanitarian workers. Our thoughts are with the victims’ families and relatives. We support the Panel of Experts on Yemen and expect all parties to cooperate with it. We welcome an independent examination to establish the facts around the attacks. Furthermore, we are concerned by the imminent United States designation of Ansar Allah, a group affiliated with the Houthis, as a foreign terrorist organization. We fear that such an action may exacerbate the already dire humanitarian situation, worsen the economy and impede the political process. It is important that any measures taken do not negatively affect humanitarian activity and imports to Yemen, including by commercial actors. We see that the only way to resolve this crisis and bring peace and stability to Yemen is through a broad, inclusive political process. Such a process cannot be successful without the full, equal and meaningful participation of women. The participation of women and youth in all stages of peace processes is imperative to reach a sustainable peace. In that respect, we stand ready to assist the Yemeni Government to implement its national action plan on women and peace and security. We also remain particularly concerned by the blatant violations of children’s rights in Yemen. The recruitment and use of children as soldiers must stop immediately. Schools must be a safe place for children to learn, in line with the Safe Schools Declaration. The continuing cycle of violence and numerous reports of civilian deaths and injuries in Yemen is of concern. It is imperative that all parties to the conflict respect international humanitarian law and ensure the full protection of civilians, especially children. We are alarmed by the humanitarian situation and risk of famine, further exacerbated by the coronavirus disease pandemic and continued violence. According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 47,000 Yemenis may be at risk of starving to death by the end of June of this year, and another 5 million are only one step behind — and that is if we keep the humanitarian contributions at the current level. This is appalling. We urge all donors, including regional ones, to make early and generous contributions. The economic crisis and the devaluation of the rial is further escalating an already critical situation. It is important to find ways to support the Yemeni rial and prevent further suffering of the Yemeni people. The most shocking component of this humanitarian crisis is that it is entirely caused, and prolonged by, the conflict. This means that it is also entirely preventable. We urge all parties to allow sufficient imports of food and fuel supplies and to facilitate full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access. But, ultimately, we call on all parties to end the conflict. That is a duty owed to the people of Yemen.

We welcome the participation of the Foreign Minister of Yemen in this video- teleconference. We thank Special Envoy Martin Griffiths for his update on the efforts being made to bring the positions of the parties to the Yemeni conflict closer together and plans to resume the negotiation process. We understand that there is little reason for optimism at this time. However, we call on the Special Envoy not to lose hope and to continue his efforts, and we will support and assist him. We also thank Under-Secretary-General Mark Lowcock and the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, David Beasley, for their clear-sighted, impassioned, but, unfortunately, disheartening briefings on the humanitarian situation in Yemen. I believe the reason for that is clear. This Security Council meeting is taking place against the backdrop of a dangerous escalation in Yemen. We strongly condemn the attack on the international airport in Aden. That criminal act, for which no one has yet claimed responsibility, resulted in a large number of deaths. We convey our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the victims, and we support conducting an objective investigation into the attack. To date, the perpetrators have not been identified and experts, including in Yemen, have put forward various versions. At the same time, we hear accusations against one side that sound like a final verdict. Theories such as “highly likely” are no longer acceptable to us and are unconvincing. We believe that making such allegations without having conclusive evidence to support them can only complicate the search for a peaceful settlement and put the sides on a confrontational track. The decision by the United States to designate Ansar Allah as a terrorist organization may also have negative consequences for the peace process in Yemen. It may both exacerbate the humanitarian situation in the country and undermine United Nations efforts to launch negotiations between the opposing sides. Since the decision has not yet come into force, we call on the United States to reconsider it. We stand at a crucial juncture. If we make irreparable mistakes now, it will jeopardize an eventual settlement and reverse many years of efforts on this track. Current developments serve to underscore the need for a prompt and comprehensive political settlement, inter alia in the interest of countering the terrorist threat. Once again, we reiterate our standing and unchanging position in favour of putting an end to armed action in Yemen and starting inclusive negotiations. We believe that numerous contradictions that exist in Yemen, including the issue of its political and territorial structure, can be resolved only through inclusive dialogue, which should take into account the legitimate interests of all leading political forces in the country. We again reiterate our full support for Special Representative Griffiths as he works to establish a country-wide ceasefire, develop confidence-building measures for the prompt launching of the negotiations of the consolidated delegation of official Yemeni authorities and the Southern Transition Council, with the leadership of Ansar Allah, to address issues concerning Yemen’s future political structure. On our part, during our contacts with interested stakeholders, we will continue supporting United Nations mediation in Yemen. We are convinced that the Security Council should not take sides, but rather give a hand to the Special Envoy and help the sides terminate the armed conflict — for instance, by creating a constructive environment for inter-State relations in the region. As for the remaining issues, Yemenis will be able to solve them in the course of negotiations. In that regard, we welcome the formation of a new coalition Government of the Republic of Yemen, the first one to include representatives from Yemen’s southern regions. This important step towards the practical implementation of the Riyadh agreement was negotiated at the talks involving official Yemeni authorities and the leadership of Southern Transitional Council that took place in Riyadh. In that regard, we commend the role of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which greatly contributed to elaborating those agreements. We count on the continued implementation of the Riyadh agreement, as that document is aimed at stabilizing and normalizing the situation in the south of the country. Yemen is generally recognized to be home to the largest humanitarian crisis in the world. Therefore, humanitarian assistance to the country must be a priority of our joint work. In that context, we call on donors, including those from the region to enhance the required financial support for United Nations programmes providing basic assistance, including those ensuring food security for the population, access to clean water and medical services, which are so needed amid the coronavirus disease pandemic. We recall that humanitarian assistance to Yemen from abroad must be distributed on a non-discriminatory basis among the entire population of the country. We once again call for rejecting unilateral steps that hinder the work of humanitarians and negatively impact the international efforts to settle the Yemeni conflict. We would like to stress that a political settlement in Yemen would make a big contribution to de-escalation in the entire subregion. We again invite our colleagues to pay attention to the need for comprehensive stabilization in the Persian Gulf area, in particular on the basis of resolution 598 (1987) and national initiatives, including the Russian collective security concept.

I also wish to thank Special Envoy Martin Griffiths and Under-Secretary- General Mark Lowcock for their updates. Their continued efforts are invaluable. We also extend our gratitude to Mr. David Beasley for his participation and sobering briefing. The dire situation in Yemen persists. Coupled with the pandemic is food insecurity and the threat of famine. Currently, many live in famine-like conditions. We cannot wait for an official declaration, otherwise we would have unjustifiably missed our window of opportunity. These conditions indicate that we must do more, and we must do so now. It is to that end that we urge for donations to be made to the humanitarian response plan, and for financial assistance to be given to support the economy. The people of Yemen depend on imported goods, and at this moment cannot afford them to survive. Humanitarian aid is critical to assuaging much of that suffering, and it is in that vein that we call on all actors within Yemen, and those who have influence over the situation, to encourage and facilitate the unhindered passage of humanitarian aid, in accordance with international law. It cannot be made any clearer that a political solution is the only option. The worsening of the conflict and its consequences have shown that a military solution will achieve nothing. We condemn the recent attack at Aden airport, which threatened the lives of a civilian Government and killed or injured innocent civilians, including humanitarian staff of the International Committee of the Red Cross. We express our condolences to the families of the victims and to Yemen and its people, who have suffered enough. We underscore that the perpetrators of this attack must be held accountable, and we welcome efforts to establish responsibility for this brazen attack. The parties to the conflict must prove their commitment to the peace process and refrain from any action that undermines the political process, runs counter to calls for a nationwide ceasefire and amounts to violations of international law. We recognize the Special Envoy’s dedication to achieving a political solution, but we underscore that, without political will and Yemeni ownership over the process, there will be no sustainable peace. We have already seen that the parties are capable of working together and negotiating to overcome differences and advance issues. Such momentum should not be lost. The transient gains that one side may achieve as a result of hostilities cannot compare to what can be achieved in a secure and stable Yemen. Such an environment will benefit all Yemenis and promote economic growth in the country and the wider region. In that regard, we underscore the role to be played by those in the international community, who must remain constructive and avoid all acts that may thwart the peace process, pose threats to Yemen’s economy or exacerbate the suffering of the people of Yemen. The decision of the United States to designate Ansar Allah as a foreign terrorist organization poses a serious threat to the humanitarian situation and the political process. We call for serious consideration of this decision to avoid worsening an already dire humanitarian situation. In conclusion, we call for concrete steps to be taken towards ensuring the assessment mission to the FSO SAFER oil tanker. The issue has been ongoing for far too long, and we move closer to an avoidable disaster with each day that goes by. All the relevant actors must work with the United Nations in good faith to resolve this issue. We reaffirm our support to the Special Envoy and his team as they work towards concluding the joint declaration. We urge the parties to engage constructively on that and to prioritize Yemen and its people in doing so.

I would like to thank Special Envoy Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary- General Mark Lowcock and David Beasley, Executive Director of the World Food Programme, for their valuable briefings on developments in Yemen. I also welcome the participation of His Excellency Mr. Ahmed Awad Ahmed Binmubarak, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Republic of Yemen. At this, the first meeting of the Security Council on Yemen in the new year, I would like to send a message of hope and solidarity to the Yemeni people. I hope that they will enjoy peace and see security and stability restored. First, I wish to reiterate that Tunisia condemns the attack against members of the Yemeni Government that occurred on 30 December 2020 at Aden airport, an attack in which dozens of civilians and some Government officials were killed or injured. I extend my sincere condolences to the Yemeni people and the families of the innocent victims, and I wish the injured a speedy recovery. We also welcome the implementation of the Riyadh agreement by the Yemeni parties, represented by the legitimate Government and the Southern Transitional Council. The agreement constitutes an important step on the road to strengthening and unifying Yemeni efforts to fulfil the Yemeni people’s desire for security, peace and stability. In that context, we applaud the formation of the new technocratic Yemeni Government headed by Maeen Abdulmalek Saeed and the consensus and harmony that prevailed throughout the process. We also commend the Government on its move to Aden in spite of all the difficulties and challenges it has faced. That moves attests to its genuine determination to put an end to the Yemeni crisis and prioritize the best interests of the Yemeni people. I also hail the pivotal role of Saudi Arabia in sponsoring the agreement between the parties. In the same vein, we reiterate our support for the call by the Secretary-General and his Special Envoy for a ceasefire, and we urge all parties to the conflict to immediately begin observing a humanitarian truce in accordance with resolution 2532 (2020). As we have noted on previous occasions, there can be no military solution in Yemen, and the current crisis can be overcome only by committing to a comprehensive and lasting political solution negotiated peacefully under United Nations auspices, on the basis of the agreed terms of reference and Security Council resolutions, including resolution 2216 (2015). In that regard, we reaffirm our support for the efforts of Special Envoy Griffiths to finalize a joint declaration on a comprehensive ceasefire and to facilitate the resumption of political negotiations between the parties to the conflict, in order to lay the groundwork for a definitive solution that guarantees the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Yemen. Tunisia also emphasizes that it is crucial to promote the participation of Yemeni women at all stages of the political process, as doing so will improve the chances of forging a lasting and comprehensive peace that reflects the consolidated perspectives of all social groups, without discrimination. The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is still a matter of grave concern. The deteriorating economic and living conditions, the continued rise in food prices and the collapse of the Yemeni currency raises the spectre of famine, which now threatens the lives of millions of Yemenis. In that context, we underscore that it is imperative to continue providing humanitarian supplies, keep ports open, remove obstacles and allow aid to be distributed and delivered to those in need of it. We once again call for civilians to be spared, civilian infrastructure not to be targeted and compliance with the provisions of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. In view of the deteriorating public health situation and the outbreak of the coronavirus disease pandemic, we also call for an increase in medical assistance to address this crisis and for vaccines to be administered as soon as possible to save the lives of millions of Yemenis. In conclusion, we reaffirm that the FSO SAFER oil tanker must be inspected and repaired without delay, given the serious environmental, humanitarian and economic threats it poses in the Red Sea, especially as the tanker’s hull continues to deteriorate.

I thank Special Envoy Griffiths, Mr. Mark Lowcock and Mr. David Beasley for their compelling briefings. I want to be clear that the United Kingdom strongly condemns the appalling attack in Aden on the 30 December. The deaths and wounding of so many civilians and the targeting of the newly formed Cabinet are unacceptable. Among the dead was a Deputy Minister, three members of the International Committee of the Red Cross and a journalist who was there to document a positive moment. Our condolences to all of their families. The United Kingdom assesses that it is highly likely that the Houthis were responsible for that cowardly and craven attack. Only they had the means, the motive and the opportunity for this clear and deplorable attempt to destabilize the newly formed Yemeni Government. We welcome the Panel of Experts investigation into this incident, and we hope that the Panel’s results will be published swiftly. The Houthis’ attack casts a dark shadow over a group that claims to be committed to pursuing peace in Yemen. The United Kingdom reiterates its firm support and its gratitude for the efforts of Special Envoy Griffiths and urges all parties to engage in the United Nations-led negotiations rather than resorting to violent methods. As the Special Envoy said, this attack mars what is otherwise an extremely positive development, that is, the formation of a new Cabinet. It includes members from across the political spectrum under the auspices of the Saudi-mediated Riyadh agreement, although the lack of women is notable. The United Kingdom wholeheartedly welcomes the Cabinet’s courageous return to Aden to restore services and supports the efforts of the Prime Minister to bring about the security and economic stability that the Yemenis need. We condemn, too, the ongoing cross-border attacks by the Houthis against Saudi Arabia and share United States concerns about the Houthis commitment to peace. We have taken note of the United States decision to designate the Houthis and welcome the United States commitment to work with the United Nations, non- governmental organizations and donors on implementation. It will be critical, as we heard from Mr. Lowcock, that there be exemptions immediately put in place to ensure humanitarian activity and that commercial imports can continue unimpeded, and for the peace process to continue unhindered. As Mr. Lowcock said, we enter 2021 facing a humanitarian emergency with Yemen. And as we heard from Mr. Beasley, Yemen is in imminent danger of the worst famine in decades. Sixteen thousand five-hundred Yemenis are already living in famine conditions, a number which is set to triple by June 2021 — with more numbers in the pipeline. Despite this, 2020 ended with a United Nations appeal that was only half funded. As we heard, that has a drastic impact on the humanitarian response and its ability to save lives. As we heard, too, rapid economic decline is driving this crisis, compounded by severe humanitarian access constraints, particularly in the Houthi-controlled north. Aid and humanitarian workers must be able to reach those in need and do so safely. Swift action is needed now — before it is too late — on the economy, humanitarian funding and humanitarian access in order to avert catastrophe in 2021. While the Yemeni rial’s value temporarily stabilized after the formation of the new Government, it is now depreciating again. Food security is already getting worse in the absence of external financial assistance to the Central Bank of Yemen to support food importers. The new Government has the opportunity now to demonstrate the leadership required to stabilize the economy and seek financial assistance. We urge the new Government and agencies to swiftly build relationships with the United Nations and the wider humanitarian community. We will call on the Government to urgently set out plans for how it will pay salaries and support currency stability, working with key donors on setting out a financing plan for the Central Bank and for a package of reform measures.

I want to thank the briefers and my colleagues for this important discussion today. I particularly want to thank our briefers for their willingness to be frank and share their honest views with the Security Council, and especially with the United States today. I will have more to say on that in a minute. I think, though, that given what we just heard, it is important that I begin by saying that the United States remains committed to working with our international partners and the Yemeni Government to bring peace and security to Yemen. We must not allow this war to continue indefinitely, and I know the Council fully agrees that this conflict cannot, and must not, become normalized. There is no military solution to the conflict, and we definitely support all efforts to bring the parties to a political consensus. I have to say, though, that the United States view is that it is sad, but true, that the political process, which has now been ongoing for many years, has produced limited results, despite the heroic efforts of the Special Envoy and his team. That compelled the United States to believe it had to look at additional steps to further the political process, without which, we agree, there will be no resolution in Yemen. So, as we heard, to that end Secretary Pompeo announced on 10 January his intention to designate Ansar Allah as a foreign terrorist organization under United States law. The Secretary took that action because Ansar Allah engages in terrorist activity — terrorism — including attacks threatening civilian populations, infrastructure and commercial activities. Members of the Council, I know, are well aware of those reprehensible acts. The United States is the largest global humanitarian donor, and we understand, we recognize and we hear the concerns that this designation will have an impact on the humanitarian situation in Yemen. As such, as Secretary Pompeo indicated, we are planning to put in place measures to reduce the impact of the designation on certain humanitarian activities and commercial imports into Yemen. I want to reiterate that we have expressed our readiness, our willingness, to work with the United Nations, international and non-governmental organizations and other international donors to address those implications. Those conversations have begun and are continuing. As we heard, as part of this effort, we will simultaneously, with the implementation of the designations on 19 January, have the Department of the Treasury be prepared to provide licenses, pursuant to its legal authorities, related to the official activities of the United States Government in Yemen. Those activities include our assistance programming funded by us, as well as our contributions — and I would remark, we are the largest donor and have a very important interest in seeing this unfold correctly — as well as to ensure that the official activities of other international organizations, such as the United Nations, continue. Let me say that I heard, with great respect, the comments from Executive Director Beasley, the Under-Secretary-General and the Special Envoy. I want to assure everyone in the Council and our briefers that their views and concerns are informing how we approach the designation implementation. We are listening. But we believe that this step is the right move to send the right signal, if we want the political process to move forward. Let me add that the United States joins the others on the Council in condemning the attacks in Aden on 30 December. I know we are all deeply saddened by the loss of life, and the United States expresses our sympathies to the families of those who were killed. As others have said, this horrific attack took place at a time when there ought to have been celebrating over Yemeni Cabinet officials returning to Aden. Instead, we heard about the tragic deaths. The Yemeni and Saudi Governments, as well as multiple experts, have directly tied this attack to Ansar Allah. And we believe and note the United Kingdom’s comments and strongly support them. I conclude by saying we are encouraged that the Houthis have finally agreed to the scope of the work for the United Nations assessment mission to the FSO SAFER oil tanker and that the United Nations Office for Project Services is planning to deploy the team in the coming months. We must now ensure that the assessment actually takes place and puts an end to months of the Houthis stalling. We urge the Houthis to ensure the assessment moves forward in a timely manner. Again, let me reiterate that we know that Yemen currently faces the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. The United States reiterates the importance of humanitarian actors being able to conduct their work to deliver life-saving assistance, and we call on all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law. The Houthis in particular continue to obstruct aid and use it as a political tool, causing undue and immense harm to Yemeni citizens. It is critical that aid reach those in need, reliably and quickly, and we call on all parties to support relief efforts while also isolating and exposing Ansar Allah for the terrorist organization that it is. Let me end by again expressing my deep thanks to the briefers for their presentations today. I look forward to further discussion with Council colleagues.

I would like to welcome to this meeting His Excellency Mr. Ahmed Awad Ahmed Binmubarak, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Yemen. I thank Mr. Martin Griffiths, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, Mr. Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, and Mr. David Beasley, Executive Director of the World Food Programme, for their comprehensive briefings. We join Special Envoy Griffiths in welcoming the positive developments in the implementation of the Riyadh agreement, including the formation of the new Government in Yemen. That is an important step towards enhanced stability and an improvement in State institutions, as well as for a lasting political resolution to the conflict in Yemen. However, we remain worried about multiple challenges, especially the prolonged conflict and crisis that the country continues to face in 2021. We strongly condemn the recent attacks in Aden that killed nearly 30 people and injured more than 100 others, including Government officials and aid workers. We extend our deepest condolences to the Government and the people of Yemen and to the families of the victims. The perpetrators of these immoral and unacceptable acts must be brought to justice. The prolonged conflict has claimed more than 230,000 lives to date. It is distressing to see civilians, especially women and children, continue to be targeted. We therefore urge all parties to the conflict to strictly abide by international humanitarian law and immediately stop targeting civilians. We emphasize the importance of an immediate cessation of hostilities and the acceptance of the joint declaration towards a nationwide cease-fire. The coronavirus disease pandemic, the severe economic crisis, food insecurity and the imminent risk of famine constitute major challenges for the country. We are gravely concerned about their compounded impact and the increasingly deteriorating humanitarian situation in Yemen. According to some reports, Yemen is the country most at risk of a humanitarian catastrophe in 2021. Twenty-four million people need aid or protection. Thirteen and a half million Yemenis — about 45 per cent of the population — currently face acute food insecurity, including some 50,000 people living in famine-like conditions. The lack of funding has remained one of the greatest obstacles to the full and effective implementation of humanitarian programmes in many parts of Yemen. It must be addressed adequately and immediately. It is also difficult for aid workers to deliver basic goods and assistance to those in need in the north of Yemen. That situation further exacerbates the vulnerability and predicament of people across the country. It is imperative for all parties to give top priority to fostering favourable conditions to ensure timely, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access and to facilitating humanitarian operations in Yemen. We reiterate our call for an early international donors conference for Yemen. More than ever, the Yemeni people are in urgent need of support from the international community so that acute food insecurity can be pushed back and humanitarian programmes can become fully operational. We call on international organizations and partners as well as countries of the region, which are the region’s hubs for food security, to urgently assist Yemen. We urge the parties concerned to fully implement the Stockholm Agreement and the Riyadh agreement in combination with United Nations mediation. We reaffirm our support for Yemen’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity in that process. We also stress the importance of promoting and ensuring the meaningful participation of women in the political process. Before I conclude, I would like to reaffirm our support for the tremendous efforts of the Special Envoy and his team, United Nations agencies and the Government and the people of Yemen for peace, stability and development for Yemen and its people.

At the outset, allow me to congratulate you, Mr. Ambassador, on your presidency of the Security Council this month. I wish you and the delegation of Tunisia every success. I also take this opportunity to congratulate the new non- permanent members of the Council. I address you today from the interim capital of Aden, the city of peace, civilization and life, and the capital of all of Yemen following the return to Aden of the technocratic Government formed in accordance with the Riyadh agreement, whose provisions the Council is called upon to implement. We have returned bearing the banner of peace and with a responsibility to normalize the lives of our citizens; serve our people and realize their hopes and aspirations to live in peace, one that is comprehensive and lasting; restore security and stability; improve living conditions; and confront challenges. We will do so together with our people, relying on the support of our brothers and friends. I address you today because God ordained that we survive the heinous guided missile attack that was carried out by terrorists in an attempt to kill the entire technocratic Government upon its arrival at Aden International Airport on Wednesday, 30 December 2020. That attack was followed by a drone attack on the Government residence in the Ma'ashiq area The fact that the target was a civilian international airport packed with passengers and those welcoming arriving passengers and that innocent civilians, including journalists, students, humanitarian workers, Government officials, women and children were killed, is sufficient evidence that this was a terrorist attack. The perpetrators’ objectives confirm that a terrorist entity carried out the attack, which investigations have conclusively proven was orchestrated and carried out by the Iranian-backed terrorist Houthi militia. A copy of the report of the investigative commission has been distributed to all members. The terrorist attack on Aden International Airport was clearly a deliberate attempt, in blatant defiance of the will of the international community, to quash the last chance to achieve peace in Yemen, undermine the efforts of the international community and create chaos to prolong the war. Thousands more would have been killed and injured and the already deteriorating humanitarian situation would have worsened if the perpetrators had achieved their objective, which they came ever so close to doing. From this platform, I call on the Security Council to unequivocally condemn that terrorist attack in a manner commensurate with the horror of the crimes witnessed by the whole world, thereby vindicating the innocents whose blood was shed and deterring the would-be perpetrators of terrorist acts that imperil security and peace in Yemen and the region. I also ask that you take a firm stand in dealing with this heinous, bloody crime, which defies all human customs and values and the rules of international humanitarian law and human rights law, and that you bring the perpetrators to account. Houthi militias continue to commit crimes and target civilians, civil institutions and densely populated areas in Ta’iz and Al-Hudaydah governorates. Since last December, multiple crimes have been committed. An athlete and his son were killed and two other children were injured in an attack on a sporting club in Ta’iz. A Houthi official in Ibb governorate raided a home in the absence of the head of household and killed a pregnant woman in front of her four children. The Houthis bombed a wedding hall in Al-Hudaydah, killing seven women and injuring dozens more. The Haymah area in Ta’iz governorate was bombed, raided and destroyed, and dozens of families were displaced. Civilians, mostly youth and children, were taken hostage, and many of them were killed and their bodies were mutilated. There are fears that the number of civilian casualties, particularly among women and children, will rise, and that normal life will be disrupted. These and other horrific crimes that have been committed in areas controlled by those militias trouble the human conscience and encapsulate the tragedy of millions of civilians, including women and children, and reveal a policy, approach and daily behaviour rooted in killing, terrorism and criminality that is aimed at forcing others to submit to their dynastic, sectarian project. The Yemeni Government, fully cognizant of its responsibility to the Yemeni people, is fully committed, under the leadership of President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi Mansour, to achieving a comprehensive and sustainable peace that is based on solid, sound foundations and that will not give rise to conflict in the future. Such a peace will fulfil the aspirations of Yemenis to build a modern, democratic civil State that preserves the freedom and dignity of the people and in which the values of justice, equality, the rule of law and the equitable distribution of wealth and power are realized. The Government has made many concessions to achieve peace and ensure that the language of dialogue prevails over the language of war and destruction throughout previous rounds of consultation with the Houthi militias, in the hope of reaching a comprehensive political settlement to end the conflict. However, that positive and flexible approach has been met with the recalcitrance and arrogance of those militias. Addled by illusions and calls for the divine right to govern and control, the militias are holding State institutions hostage, pursuing military escalation and prolonging their senseless war, thereby increasing the human suffering of Yemenis day after day, in what has become the most tragic crisis on Earth. Twenty-five months ago today, the Stockholm Agreement was signed. That would not have been possible had the Yemeni Government not put the interests of the Yemeni people above everything else, had it not strived to alleviate their suffering and had it not continued to make concessions in order to ensure the success of United Nations mediation of the three agreements, namely, the Hudaydah agreement, the agreement on exchange of prisoners and the Ta’iz understandings. To this day, Ta’iz continues to be subjected to systematic shelling, which has killed many children, women and civilians. In contrast, the Houthi militias remain openly intransigent as they pursue their efforts to limit implementation of the terms of the agreements and even hinder any understandings on confidence-building measures. As you know, Mr. President, the Houthi militias have been deploying their forces in Al-Hudaydah, hampering the work of the United Nations Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA) continuously since the beginning of 2019, impeding the delivery of humanitarian assistance, blocking the road to the emergency assistance convoys that began immediately after the signing of the Stockholm Agreement and continuing to plunder humanitarian aid and deprive beneficiaries of the necessities of life. The Houthis have been so resolute in their bid to thwart United Nations mediation that they have even targeted the Government’s liaison officer in the Redeployment Coordination Committee in Al-Hudaydah. They have continued their violations, recently attacking the liberated areas on the western coast in an attempt to expand their presence, in flagrant violation of the Hodeidah Agreement. These militias have gone so far as to prevent UNMHA from conducting field visits in order to carry out the necessary investigations into the recent escalation in the western coastal areas, including in Durayhimi. These violations continued with the Houthi shelling of the wedding hall in Al-Hudaydah last week, which resulted in the death of many innocent women and children. This militia has committed crimes and grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, include bombing homes and places of worship, violating the rights of religious minorities, displacing those who oppose it, arresting and torturing journalists and political activists, placing cities under siege, indiscriminately targeting civilians, planting landmines, using health-care and educational facilities for military purposes, destroying the country’s economic institutions, attacking civilian objects in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, undermining security and stability in Yemen and the region, and threatening international maritime navigation lines in the Red Sea and Bab Al-Mandab. We therefore welcome the recent decision of the United States Government to designate the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization, in line with the demands of the Yemeni Government and the consensus of the Yemeni people. That decision proves that the Houthis are a terrorist group and not serious about achieving peace, that they are attempting to prolong the war and that they have caused the world’s worst humanitarian disaster, as they remain beholden to the subversive agendas of Iran in the region. We reiterate that the Yemeni Government is fully committed to facilitating the activities of all international agencies, humanitarian organizations and trade and banking institutions in order to maintain the steady flow of assistance and sufficient provisions to all our people throughout Yemen, without neglecting any region. The Prime Minister has formed a high-level Government commission composed of all the competent authorities to take the action needed to address all challenges. The last few years of the war sparked by the Houthi militia, along with the spread of the coronavirus disease pandemic, have exacerbated the humanitarian situation, leaving about 80 per cent of the population in need of some form of humanitarian assistance and 14.3 million people in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Human suffering continues, including food insecurity, one of the most formidable challenges that the Yemeni Government is working to overcome with the support of coalition partners and all its friends in the international community. Regrettably, Yemen was grappling with those challenges even prior to the Houthi coup in 2014. Statistics from the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification report underscored the importance of redoubling efforts to alleviate the suffering of Yemenis. Food insecurity has many serious consequences that affect not only the lives of the present generation, but also the future of coming generations. That is why we once again call for a transition from emergency response programmes to programmes aimed at building resilience and promoting sustainable development. Moreover, the continued collapse of the national economy will further compound the humanitarian disaster, hence the need for financial resources to be mobilized urgently at the international level in order to support the Government programme and efforts to address economic challenges and its policies and plans to stabilize living conditions. I take this opportunity to convey my thanks and appreciation to all humanitarian and relief workers for their tireless efforts to alleviate the suffering of Yemenis and to deliver humanitarian assistance to the those in need, despite the obstacles and difficulties that have been put in their way and the threats that have been directed towards them by Houthi militias, including the recent restrictions that were imposed on the work and activities of organizations in areas still under Houthi control. Those restrictions prevent those organizations even from holding virtual meetings using video-teleconferencing technology. We reiterate our condolences to the International Committee of the Red Cross for the deaths of three of its staff in the terrorist attack on Aden International Airport and wish the wounded a speedy recovery. The Government will not hesitate to provide those organizations with every form of support and assistance for their work and to facilitate their various activities and projects. The Houthi militias continue to prevaricate with regard to the FSO SAFER oil tanker issue. They continue to manipulate the issue and are using it to bargain with and coerce the international community, refusing to heed warnings that more than 1 million barrels of oil may soon leak from the tanker and oblivious to the severe environmental, economic and humanitarian consequences that such a leak could have for Yemen and the countries of the region. It is unacceptable that the Houthis continue to procrastinate and string the United Nations along with illusions ahead of each monthly meeting of the Security Council. We once again call on the Council to place more pressure on the Houthi militias to grant the United Nations technical team access to the tanker in order to inspect it, carry out initial repairs and remove oil from it, without restrictions or conditions, in order to prevent this looming disaster. The implementation of the Riyadh agreement has led to the formation of a technocratic Government. This development has been welcomed by the international community and all peace partners. The Government is currently operating from the interim capital, Aden, determined and committed to taking forward the national programme to which the Yemeni people aspire. The aim of that programme is to strengthen security, stability and economic recovery; improve living conditions; provide basic services to all Yemenis; relaunch State institutions, financial and monetary policy tools, monitoring and oversight mechanisms and the accountability framework; and combine military and security decision-making with a view to unifying efforts to achieve sustainable peace and end the coup. In that regard, we value the major role played by our brethren in the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen, led by Saudi Arabia, in ensuring that the Agreement succeeds and is implemented quickly. We consider it a model to be emulated and proof that, where goodwill and noble intentions can be found, peace is not far off. In that connection, despite everything that has happened, despite the pain and the wounds, we continue to reaffirm that we are engaged and interacting positively with all serious initiatives and calls to end the coup and achieve peace. We also reiterate our support for the efforts of Mr. Griffiths, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, to achieve a comprehensive, sustainable peace built on the agreed terms of reference, namely, the Gulf Cooperation Council Initiative and its Implementing Mechanism, the outcomes of the All-Inclusive National Dialogue Conference and the relevant Security Council resolutions, chief among them resolution 2216 (2015). We also welcomed the recent visit that the Special Envoy made to the interim capital, Aden, his condemnation of the terrorist attack as a war crime and his visit to the destroyed airport VIP lounge, so that he could see the scene of the horrific crime.