UNSC Briefing on Yemen

(14 October 2021; 1000 hrs)

Statement by Ambassador T.S. Tirumurti

Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations

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Thank you, Madam President. I thank Special Envoy Hans Grundberg and Assistant-Secretary General Ramesh Rajasingham and Ms. Maysaa Shujaa Aldeen from Sana’a Centre for their briefings. I welcome the presence of the Permanent Representative of Yemen in our midst.

2. We are deeply concerned by the mounting death toll due to the prolonged fighting between the government forces and Ansarallah in Marib and other parts of Yemen. The ongoing hostilities and the cycle of violence further jeopardize the chances of a ceasefire.

3. Putting an end to the current hostilities in Marib as well as in other places in Yemen through a comprehensive ceasefire should be the immediate priority of the international community. In this regard, we appreciate the efforts of Special Envoy Grundberg in engaging with all the parties to the conflict towards a nationwide ceasefire, and to resume negotiations to achieve an inclusive political solution that meets the aspirations of all Yemenis.

4. Millions of Yemenis are bearing the brunt of the protracted conflict. The unprecedented humanitarian crisis has been compounded by the precarious economic situation.  The declining currency exchange-rate has further worsened the situation by inflating the prices of food, fuel and other commodities. I underscore the urgent need to address economic consequences of the conflict, since this could exacerbate the misery of the people.

5. We are also concerned by the restrictions and impediments to the movement of humanitarian aid and other essential commodities into and within Yemen. I call on all parties to lift such restrictions to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches all Yemenis. Otherwise, the suffering of the people of Yemen, especially that of women and children will worsen.

6. Financing for humanitarian operations is another area that needs the attention of the international community. We hope that the additional pledges made during the recent high-level humanitarian conference on the sidelines of the UNGA would help in bridging the funding gap in the 2021 Humanitarian Response plan.

Madam President,

7. I welcome the return of the Prime Minister of Yemen to Aden. We hope that this will pave the way for the return of the full cabinet to Aden and the implementation of the Riyadh Agreement. We encourage the Government of Yemen and the Southern Transitional Council to continue the dialogue for resolving the issues related to the implementation of the Riyadh Agreement.

8. I also reiterate India’s call for the full implementation of Stockholm Agreement. The continuing ceasefire violations in Hudaydah are a matter of concern. Restrictions on UNMHA’s freedom of movement hamper the monitoring of these ceasefire violations. We therefore urge concerned parties to immediately remove these restrictions. We recognize the efforts of UNMHA to resume the RCC and its joint mechanisms to implement the Hudaydah Agreement. It is important that a new Head for UNMHA is appointed at the earliest to ensure that these efforts continue unhindered.

9. The agreement on prisoner exchange is also an integral part of the Stockholm agreement. This month marks one year since the successful mass exchange of prisoners and detainees by the parties to the conflict. Apart from being a humanitarian imperative, such exchanges also constitute an important confidence building measure. While we welcome the exchange of prisoners with local mediation, we also believe that there is a need for an establishment of proper mechanism for such exchanges, as envisaged in the Stockholm Agreement.

10. India condemns the sustained cross border missile and drone attacks into Saudi Arabia. There can be no justification to the deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, which is a flagrant violation of international law. Indians were among the civilians, who were injured in the recent attack on Abha airport. The arms embargo envisaged in UNSC resolution 2216 should be strictly implemented to avert similar attacks in future.

11. We also condemn the recent car bombing in Aden targeting prominent political figures. Such targeted assassination attempts and other recent attacks in Aden risk destabilising further the security situation in southern Yemen.

12. An urgent solution to the FSO (Floating Storage and Offloading Unit) SAFER issue is also required to avoid an imminent environmental catastrophe, and to ensure uninterrupted international maritime passage through the Red Sea.

Mr. President,

13. Continued violence, threat of terrorism, unstable security situation and growing civilian casualties would only deny peace to the people of Yemen. Such a situation will delay the resumption of Yemeni-led and Yemeni-owned peace process. We strongly urge all parties to reverse these trends on the ground and come together for the peace, security and prosperity of the people of Yemen.

I thank you.

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