UAE calls for end to appeasement of Houthi terrorist group in Yemen

The United Arab Emirates has called for an end to the appeasement of the Houthi terrorist group in Yemen during a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) briefing on the situation in the country.

The Council was briefed by Hans Grundberg, UN Special Envoy for Yemen; Martin Griffiths, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator; and Major General (retd) Michael Beary, Head of the United Nations Mission to Support the Hudaydah Agreement (UNMHA) and Chair of the Redeployment Coordination Committee, on recent developments in the country.

"Over the past months, we have heard numerous briefings, including from Grundberg, calling on us to give him opportunities for his efforts to bring the Houthis back to the negotiating table. However, after UAE civilian infrastructure was subjected to terrorist attacks that claimed the lives of innocent civilians, we can only ask, when will the appeasement of this terrorist group end?" said Lana Nusseibeh, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the UN.

"The UAE reaffirms its sovereign right to take all the measures necessary to protect the security and stability of its territory as well as the safety of its citizens and residents from any terrorist attacks in accordance with its obligations under international law. We reiterate that these Houthi terrorist attacks are flagrant violations of international law and have persisted despite the condemnation by the Security Council and more than 120 countries and international organisations," she added.

Nusseibeh stressed the need to stop the Houthis’ aggressive behaviour, which will require the international community to take serious and decisive steps to exert strong pressure on the Houthis and their supporters and stop their attempts to control Yemeni territory by force.

Nusseibeh added, "This pressure begins with imposing further sanctions on them, cutting off the Houthis' funding sources, as well as enforcing the targeted arms embargo imposed on Yemen by Security Council Resolution 2216 and imposing maritime interdiction and enhanced enforcement."

In response to the Houthi militarisation of the port of Hodeidah, Ambassador Nusseibeh called for a UN presence in the port to prevent the Houthis from using it as a weapons store and launch point for attacks that threaten the security of navigation and the countries of the region. Furthermore, as the Houthis have committed terrorist acts, they should be designated as a terrorist organisation by the international community.

She also noted that without clear international pressure, the Houthis have time and again refused to commit to any agreements or hold to their promises, as once again demonstrated by their blocking of a UN team from assessing the condition of the Safer oil tanker.

"The UAE maintains a firm position supporting a political track that reflects the situation on the ground in Yemen and addresses its challenges. The UAE also supports the resumption of political negotiations between Yemeni parties," she added.

Furthermore, Nusseibeh underscored that a political solution is the only way to end the crisis in Yemen, stressing the importance of continuing UN and international efforts to achieve that goal. She called on the Security Council to stop the Houthi militia’s senseless actions so that Yemen can recover and build a secure and stable future.

WAM