6 March 2025
Thank you, Madame President.
Let me start by thanking Special Envoy Hans Grundberg and UnderSecretary General Tom Fletcher for their informative briefings. I would also like to welcome the presence here today of Ms. Ali, a representative of the civil society of Yemen, as well as the Permanent Representative of Yemen, and wish to all who celebrate today “Ramadan Mubarak”.
Madame President,
The situation on the ground remains fragile and the risk of military escalation has not eclipsed, while the efforts to agree on a new national ceasefire have not succeeded. At the same time, the humanitarian situation remains dire and many members of humanitarian agencies remain under custody and face unjustified charges.
We call on the Houthis to immediately release all diplomatic staff, UN and NGO personnel and humanitarian workers who are arbitrarily under detention and to hold accountable all those responsible for the recent death of a member of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) under Houthi custody.
Madame President,
Allow me to highlight briefly 3 points:
Firstly, Greece unequivocally supports the work of the Special Envoy Hans Grundberg and his tireless efforts to reinvigorate the dialogue between the parties, with the aim to achieve a new national ceasefire. This will create a fertile terrain in order to negotiate a Yemeni-led Yemeni-owned political process, that will end the long-standing instability and uncertainty in the country and will ensure the conditions for economic prosperity and welfare for the Yemeni people.
Secondly, as a historic seafaring nation, Greece firmly supports the freedom of navigation and the full applicability of the International Law of the Sea, as reflected in UNCLOS. Moreover, my country remains committed to safeguarding maritime security in the region of the Red Sea and will continue to do its part in order to protect one of the world’s most important maritime routes. This is why Greece participates in the EU operation ASPIDES in the Red Sea and will continue to provide valuable support to this mission.
Thirdly, we would like to echo calls on all parties to refrain from any escalatory action that could pose risks for environmental disasters especially in the Red Sea.
The cases of the FSO Safer and the greek-flagged MV Sounion clearly demonstrated how serious the potential environmental and humanitarian consequences of the conflict can be. We are thankful to all those that contribute to the prevention of a grave environmental disaster in both cases.
In addition, we fully support all initiatives by the international community to manage the effects of adverse climate conditions and its impact on accessible resources, especially in war-torn countries such as Yemen.
Madame President,
We also remain deeply concerned on the overall deteriorating situation on of women and girls in the country, commend their resilience and courage and will support all efforts to alleviate their suffering and safeguard their rights.
Madame President,
In closing, let me stress that this Council and the countries of the region must send a clear message of unity and commitment to the need for deescalation and dialogue between the opposing sides of the Yemeni conflict, and especially the Houthis. We also call for unity within the Presidential Leadership Council.
At the same time, the Council and all relevant actors of the International Community must do their utmost to support the Presidential Leadership Council and the legitimate, recognized Government of Yemen, in their colossal task to support Yemeni society and strengthen public institutions, amidst a complex economic situation.
I Thank you.