A3+ Statement delivered by H.E. Micheal Kanu, Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone, at the Security Council briefing on Yemen

Thank you, Mr. President. 

I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the A3 Plus members, namely Algeria, Guyana, Mozambique and my own country Sierra Leone.

We thank Mr. Hans Grundberg, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, Ms. Joyce Msuya, Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Acting Emergency Relief Coordinator, and Ms. Linda Al Obahi, Senior Political Affairs and Mediation Advisor, Peace Track Initiative for their comprehensive briefings and insights on the security and humanitarian situations in Yemen.  

We also welcome the participation of the representative of Yemen to this meeting.

Mr. President,

At the outset, the A3 plus reiterates its call for the immediate release of UN staff and other aid workers who are being arbitrarily detained in Yemen. The illegal detention of UN staff and humanitarian aid workers in Yemen is a violation of international humanitarian law. We strongly condemn these attacks and call for the perpetrators to be held accountable for these unacceptable acts.  

The A3 plus is deeply concerned about the escalating security situation and the dire humanitarian crisis in Yemen, which has not showed signs of abating. This month of September marks the 10th year since the war in Yemen broke out, a decade of instability and immense hardship that has profoundly impacted millions of lives. Over these ten years, Yemen has faced immense challenges, from political and security instability to severe economic decline and devastating humanitarian crisis.  

Yemen has been a battleground for competing factions with devastating consequences for its people. The continued instability has drastically shrunk economic activity, severely impeding the flow of essential goods and services. The flow of urgently needed humanitarian aid has been further impeded by bureaucratic barriers, exacerbating the already dire conditions for millions of Yemenis.  

As we reflect on this brutal reality for the country, it is important to acknowledge the resilience and enduring spirit of the people who, despite immense adversity, continue to hope for a better future. We must renew our commitment to finding a lasting resolution to the conflict. As we have heard from our briefers, the condition of Yemeni civilians remains grim, a situation that is made even more precarious given the intensification of attacks, by the Houthis in the Red Sea and the broader region.  

As we meet today, the challenges to advancing the UN roadmap and efforts to end the suffering of Yemeni people appear intractable. Nevertheless, we must persevere. With this in mind, we would like to emphasize the following four points.   

First, we are alarmed by acts of the Houthis who continue to jeopardize the active maritime ecosystem in the Red Sea and impede political solutions for a lasting peace. The escalating attacks on oil tankers, some of which are set ablaze and have been sunk, pose significant economic, security and environmental threats to Yemen and the wider region. One such vessel is the MV Delta Sounion, noting efforts to salvage it and prevent an ecological disaster posed by its cargo of 1 million barrels of crude oil.

These attacks are a clear signal that the Houthis are tightening their grip on commercial traffic in the Red Sea. The uptick of these attacks has posed a sustained threat to commercial activities in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. This has significantly dropped the volume of traffic through the Suez Canal and Bab el-Mandeb Strait, vital arteries for international trade. If left unchecked, these actions could potentially destabilize the broader region and disrupt one of the world’s most significant waterways.  These egregious actions have already adversely affected political discussions for bringing the country to a peaceful path.  

We therefore call on the Houthi’s to cease their destructive actions, and to respect and implement all resolutions of the Security Council, including resolution 2216 that demands, inter alia, that the Houthis “refrain from any provocation or threats to neighbouring States….”.

The A3 plus strongly believes that a prompt response and diligent action are needed to address the wider conflicts in the region, with the urgency of a ceasefire in Gaza, which cannot be overstated, as it remains key to the stability of the Middle East.

Second, we continue to express grave concern about the arbitrary detention of UN staff members and aid workers by Houthis.  For over three months, UN staff and other humanitarian aid workers have been targeted and held captive by Houthi de facto authorities. No access has been given to verify the well-being of the individuals being held, and they remain without legal protections.   

The sacrifices made by the UN and humanitarian personnel delivering critical aid in a country ravaged by war have been a lifeline to millions of Yemenis. The A3 Plus condemns these deliberate violations of international law. We reiterate our call for the unconditional and immediate release of all UN staff and humanitarian personnel detained by the Houthis. We urge the Houthis to ensure the safety and security of all humanitarian and UN personnel.  

Third, we reiterate our call for increasing financial and logistical support towards aid efforts in Yemen, as they deal with one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Reports from UN agencies indicate that more than half of the country’s population, over 18.2 people, require some form of humanitarian assistance, including 17 million facing severe food shortages.  

Limited access to clean water and sanitation has also resulted in a growing cholera outbreak. The impact of adverse weather events including violent windstorms, and floods from torrential rain has been severe, claiming lives and halting distribution of life saving aid and essential supplies. The scale of the disaster demands our urgent attention and a swift, coordinated response to alleviate the suffering of those effected.   

We urge UN agencies, donor countries, and international organizations to fully fund and mobilize resources for the 2024 Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan, which is targeted, inter alia, towards urgent emergency aid, provision of essential services, as well as cash injection interventions. The current level of aid falls short of addressing the magnitude of the crisis. It is imperative that we mobilize the necessary resources to provide comprehensive relief and support to the affected populations.  

Our collective response must match the scale of the disaster to mitigate its impacts and help Yemen recover and rebuild. We emphasize the importance of targeted support towards emergency agricultural assistance in collaboration with relevant agencies, to support vulnerable rural communities engaged in farming, fishing and livestock-rearing with cash assistance, rehabilitation of productive infrastructure and other means of restoring and protecting livelihoods.

Fourth, we express grave concern about the lack of progress in reaching agreement on a political roadmap. We are of the firm belief that dialogue and diplomatic efforts by the United Nations and regional actors are the surest path to lasting peace in Yemen. Influential regional actors should continue to engage all Yemeni parties towards the revitalization of a Yemeni-led and owned political dialogue.  

The Yemeni people need to see an end to the current military operations in Yemen, including maritime military operations.  In this regard, we commend the exceptional efforts of the Special Envoy for his commitment to addressing instability in Yemen and express our full support to him and his team in this regard.  

In conclusion, the A3 plus is aware of the complexity of the crisis in Yemen, and certainly mindful that there are no quick fixes. However, the current stalemate on political talks provides little hope for the people of Yemen. We therefore urge all parties to engage in good faith to relaunch an inclusive political engagement process, including recent diplomatic engagements in Aden, Muscat and Riyadh, to bring an end to the suffering of the Yemeni people.  

The A3 plus remains committed to supporting a Yemeni-owned and led political process that will lead to lasting peace, for the good of the Yemeni people who have suffered for way too long.     

I thank you.