In Yemen, France condemns Houthi escalation and demands an end to Iranian (…)
Madam President,
I would first like to thank the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy, Hans Grundberg, as well as the Under-Secretary-General, Tom Fletcher, for their briefings. I would also like to welcome the presence among us of the Permanent Representative of Yemen.
Yemen is experiencing the most serious escalation of tensions since the 2022 truce, as has been stated previously. The Houthis bear full responsibility for this escalation, having multiplied their attacks against the Yemeni government and Saudi Arabia, causing numerous casualties and destroying civilian infrastructure. We condemn the resumption of Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, as documented in the letter addressed by the Secretary-General to this Council on August 10th, as well as the additional attacks that have followed. Just two days ago, on August 11th, their strikes against the cargo vessel Tihamah claimed the lives of several members of its crew, who were Pakistani and Indonesian nationals. We extend our condolences to their families, as well as to Pakistan and Indonesia.
France condemns these attacks in the strongest terms and expresses its support for and solidarity with Yemen and Saudi Arabia. These attacks seriously undermine regional security, as well as freedom of navigation and maritime safety, which this Council demanded the respect for in resolution 2722. The Houthis must immediately and unconditionally put an end to these attacks. France will continue its efforts to safeguard the security of this maritime route through the European operation EUNAVFOR ASPIDES, in accordance with international law, in a strictly defensive posture and in coordination with its European and international partners.
Madam President,
The escalation in Yemen began on July 3rd, when an Iranian aircraft landed in Sana’a without the authorization of the legitimate authorities, undermining Yemen’s sovereignty. This reflects Iran’s destabilizing conduct in the region. These actions must cease immediately and permanently. By supporting the Houthis, Tehran is fueling this crisis and failing to comply with its obligations under the arms embargo established by resolution 2216. France expects Iran to comply with its international obligations and put an end to all transfers of military equipment to the Houthis, as we demanded during the emergency meeting of this Council on July 13th.
This is compounded by the Houthis’ persistent and deliberate obstruction of humanitarian action. France demands the immediate and unconditional release of all United Nations personnel, staff of non-governmental organizations, and diplomatic mission personnel arbitrarily detained by the Houthis. These detentions, as well as attacks against humanitarian personnel, are contrary to international humanitarian law and to this Council’s resolution 2730, as well as to international human rights law. They also obstruct the delivery of assistance that the civilian population urgently needs.
Madam President,
There is no military solution to the conflict in Yemen. France fully supports the legitimate government and its efforts to ensure the security of the country. We fully support the work of the Special Envoy, Mr. Hans Grundberg. Only an inclusive political process, under the auspices of the United Nations and involving women and all segments of Yemeni society, can bring an end to this crisis. France calls on all actors to engage in this process in good faith.
Thank you.