Thank you Madame President.
Madame President, in the past few weeks, Yemen has slid back into full-scale war, with hostilities spreading across multiple frontlines.
Following Ansar Allah’s earlier advances on Mokha and the coast along the Bab al-Mandab, intense fighting has continued in the highlands west and south of Taiz city, and across into Lahj. Earlier this week, the Government launched a large-scale counter-offensive, and has since reported retaking areas around the Bab al Mandab. Fighting has also intensified in Marib, al-Jawf, and Hajjah. The humanitarian situation in Taiz, Yemen’s most populous governorate, is rapidly deteriorating. And throughout, aerial attacks, including airstrikes, have continued across the country.
Ansar Allah has also carried out attacks against civilian and energy infrastructure in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including recent attacks against Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, which killed and injured civilians. I echo the Secretary-General’s condemnation, and repeat my call on Ansar Allah to cease these attacks.
Madame President, while the situation in Yemen remains highly fluid, one fact is clear: civilians, especially women and children, are once again bearing the brunt of escalating violence, at a time when Yemen has been ranked by the International Monetary Fund as the world’s poorest country.
I remind all parties that the obligations of international humanitarian law are not optional. They must distinguish between civilians and combatants and between civilian objects and military objectives, avoid disproportionate harm, and take every feasible precaution to spare civilians. Children are entitled to special protection, and their recruitment and use in armed conflict is prohibited. Parties must also respect and protect medical facilities, humanitarian personnel and operations, and persons who are no longer taking part in hostilities.
Madame President, over the past month, I have been engaging intensively with the Government of Yemen and Ansar Allah, as well as with regional and international stakeholders, including in Riyadh, in Muscat, Cairo and Washington, D.C. There is broad recognition that this is a defining moment, not only for Yemenis, but also for the region. I have heard different perspectives on the dimensions of the conflict, all of which have become intertwined.
Ongoing instability in the Middle East continues to impact dynamics in Yemen, while developments in Yemen in turn reverberate across the region. Ansar Allah’s threats against Saudi-linked commercial ships in the Red Sea undermine the freedom of navigation of every country. These threats are becoming enmeshed with the broader confrontation over control of maritime trade routes and the stresses on the international energy market. And in parallel, the grievances around the internal Yemeni conflict have deepened even more.
Regional security, freedom of navigation and the protection of international trade are legitimate concerns that must be addressed. International engagement on Yemen must also be grounded in the realities of Yemen and the needs and aspirations of its people. A credible political process that addresses the fundamental causes underpinning the Yemen conflict, based on relevant UN Security Council resolutions and building on past negotiations, will contribute to regional stability. Preserving that path is in the interests of the Yemeni people, every member of this Council and the wider international community.
At this juncture, evolving military calculations are affecting how the parties assess the value, timing and terms of potential political engagement. I understand the prevailing battlefield motivations. I want to stress, however, that while military pressure can strengthen political leverage, war and diplomacy are not mutually exclusive. Ultimately, gains on the battlefield cannot substitute for the negotiations that will be required to settle the conflict.
As a mediator, I must offer a political horizon. My role is to find space – to create space – for a Yemeni-owned political settlement, and to impress upon the parties that the political process is a responsibility they owe to the 40 million Yemenis who have endured more than a decade of conflict. The shape and timing of that settlement are for the Yemenis to determine. But unless war is to become Yemen’s permanent reality, the time to consider political strategies is now.
Madame President, before closing, I would like to remind this Council of the continuing plight of our arbitrarily detained colleagues, as well as of the detained personnel from non-governmental organizations, civil society and diplomatic missions. We welcome the release by Ansar Allah of one United Nations detainee as a positive step. However, 72 of our colleagues remain detained, and meaningful progress towards their release has yet to be made. The United Nations continues to engage actively with Ansar Allah in pursuit of the unconditional release of all remaining detained personnel. Many face serious health problems. And their release is especially urgent, and this Council’s continued support is vital.
Madame President, as I have outlined, if recent developments demonstrate anything, it is that Yemen’s conflict cannot be contained. Without a credible political process that sustainably resolves the conflict, it will continue to resurface, deepen regional tensions, and threaten broader stability. This Council's continued unity, sustained attention and collective support for mediation are therefore indispensable.
Thank you very much Madame President.
