June 14, 2022
I would like to thank Special Envoy Grundberg for providing us with valuable insights, and again with uplifting updated information.
Thank Ms. Mudawi for the detailed yet sobering information on the humanitarian situation on the ground.
Thank you Ms. Al-Salafi for your insights, the forward-looking message in relation to the situation of women and girls in Yemen and the concrete recommendations.
We salute this moment of renewed hope and optimism for the political process and the future of Yemen. We welcome and applaud, once again, that guns have broadly remained silenced, that reason has prevailed, and hope has taken more ground in Yemen, an opportunity to be firmly seized from the parties to engage constructively to serve the interest of the aggrieved Yemenis and start a new chapter for future.
For the truce to succeed, all those concerned must fully abide by their commitments in upholding and implementing it.
The resumption of flights between Sanaa airport and Amman and Cairo, as well as for the entry of fuel ships into Hodeida port, as dividends of the Truce, have brought relief to thousands of Yemenis.
The approach of the Government of Yemen has been crucial for all these achievements and the positive effects. We applaud the successful efforts of the Special Envoy and his team, and commend the important role and the strong support of regional partners, Saudi Arabia and Oman, but also Egypt and Jordan, for these achievements to become a reality.
The parties should continue their engagement for the re-opening of roads in Taiz and other Governates. We call on the Houthis to reciprocate the flexibility shown by the Government of Yemen.
The full implementation of the Truce should lead to a nationwide comprehensive permanent ceasefire, for which we have been calling for so long.
The parties should feel encouraged by the notable reduction of casualties, violence and fatalities in civilians and take the necessary steps forward to allow the people of Yemen to start believing in a real chance for a durable and lasting peace in their country.
That is why a comprehensive political process under the UN auspices remains a must. We reiterate our position that the political process should be inclusive, and the meaningful participation of women and youth and civil society representatives remains of paramount importance, as rightly highlighted by Ms Al-Salafi.
Distinguished colleagues,
Even as we value the benefits of the truce and the need to build on them, we remain worried about the deterioration of humanitarian and, as we heard from Ghada, the security situation. The absence of fighting cannot be replaced by lawlessness.
We encourage the Presidential Leadership Council and the Government of Yemen to undertake the necessary measures to ensure service-delivery to the Yemeni people. The exposure of thousands of them to famine and other unacceptable humanitarian challenges must be addressed in an urgent manner, especially when it concerns women and children.
Despite improvements, children continue to suffer the brunt of war, even after the truce. We deplore every violation of the rights of the child, and the loss of life among children. We call on the Houthis to release the children they have recruited and work for the full implementation of the Action Plan they signed up last April.
Not less troubling is the situation of women, which we deeply deplore, the increased incitement and other forms of attacks towards them should end, accountability must be strengthened and the fight against impunity must be intensified.
The situation of women testifies to the need to maintain evidence-based monitoring and reporting mechanisms as well as independent, international, impartial capabilities to monitor the human rights situation in Yemen.
In closing, I would also like to reiterate our condemnation of the continued incarceration of the Yemenis currently or formerly employed by the United States and the United Nations. We deplore the loss of life of Mr. Al-Hajami while under detention.
We call for the immediate and unconditional release of all the detainees in conformity with obligations under the international humanitarian law.
Finally, our appreciation goes to the ongoing tireless efforts to finding a durable solution for the Oil Tanker safer and hope that conditions will be met for a start of the operation soon.
Thank you.