PRESS RELEASE : The UK condemns the Houthis’ reckless and escalatory attacks across the Middle East – UK statement at the UN Security Council [August 2024]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 15 August 2024.
Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Yemen.
President, the situation in Yemen is desperate, with devastating flooding coming on top of an already dire humanitarian crisis and we express condolences to all those affected by the flooding. The prospect of regional escalation threatens to further undermine security and stability. We urge all parties to deescalate to avoid deepening the humanitarian crisis. The United Kingdom condemns the Houthis’ reckless and escalatory attacks across the region in conjunction with other Iranian-linked groups. We also reiterate our call on the Houthis to cease their attacks in the Red Sea which threaten international shipping.
Recent reports have also shown Houthi links to Al Shabaab. We firmly condemn these actions as part of a wider pattern of Houthi destabilising activity beyond Yemen’s borders. The relevant UN sanctions committees must coordinate closely to monitor and counter this worrying trend.
President, the UK condemns the Houthis’ closure of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Sana’a. The OHCHR presence is critical for the protection of civilians and reporting of human rights abuses. As we’ve heard, this follows the detention of UN, NGO and former diplomatic missions’ staff in June, and is yet another blatant aggression which will severely impede the delivery of vital aid to those most in need.
These acts demonstrate, once again, the willingness of Houthi leaders to inflict harm and suffering on the Yemeni people to advance their own ambitions.
It is the duty of this Council, to ensure the Houthis guarantee a safe and unimpeded operational environment for humanitarian organisations. We call on the Houthis to immediately and unconditionally release the detainees, leave the OHCHR premises and return the assets they have seized.
Finally President, the Yemeni people deserve peace and further escalation will only move us further away from achieving this. We urge restraint from all parties to preserve space for negotiations in line with the UN roadmap.
We call on this Council to remain unified in support of the Special Envoy’s efforts to secure an inclusive and sustainable peace in Yemen.
