Source · Select Committees · Foreign Affairs Committee
Recommendation 42
42
Accepted
UK remains best-placed for Yemen file despite slow progress and past criticism
Conclusion
There has been criticism that the UK’s penholdership of the Yemen file was compromised due to UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia who were at war against Houthi terrorists in Yemen. However, Saudi Arabia has now largely withdrawn from Yemen. We agree that the UK remains the best-placed Permanent Member to hold this file at the United Nations Security Council. However, progress on the Yemen file has been slow despite neither Russia nor China having vested interests which could lead them to use their veto. (Conclusion, Paragraph 141)
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the conclusion, affirming its leading role as UN Security Council penholder on Yemen and the largest donor to the humanitarian response. They detail ongoing diplomatic efforts, monthly UN Security Council interventions, and exploration of options to raise awareness of food insecurity, while continuing to push for a political settlement.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
Agree. 60. HMG plays a leading role on Yemen as UN Security Council penholder and is currently the largest donor to the Yemen Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for this financial year. Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea, starting in October 2023, have stalled progress on the path towards a negotiated political settlement and a stable and secure Yemen. The current ceasefire in Gaza offers a small but important opportunity to relaunch these efforts in partnership with the UN and the region. 61. HMG will continue to use our interventions at monthly UN Security Council meetings on Yemen to highlight the human cost of this conflict as the Committee has recommended, including pushing for the safety of women and girls, the protection of civilians and reiterating our condemnation of the Houthis’ arbitrary detention of staff from the UN, NGOs, INGOs, civil society organisations and diplomatic missions. We are actively exploring options to further raise awareness of the significant deterioration of food security levels in Yemen. 62. HMG will also continue to work closely with the UN Special Envoy to push for a sustainable, inclusive political settlement in Yemen, including through galvanizing UN Security Council support for a UN-led political process, improving humanitarian conditions and restoring maritime security in the Red Sea. The UK strongly supports the participation of Yemeni stakeholders in any dialogue regarding the country’s future.