Thank you, Mme President, and thank you also to Special Envoy Grundberg and Ms. Msuya for the update information and for your respective efforts in addressing the multiple issues in Yemen.
- We welcome the fact that Truce is holding: We hope that during the remaining time of this extension, the parties will continue to seek and find common ground to address and solve all the pending issues.
- The truce is also delivering: war casualties have drastically reduced and the daily life of the Yemeni people has changed. We reiterate our call on the parties to fully embrace all efforts from the UN, regional actors and international community for its extension.
- Everyone knows what the seven years of violence have done to the country; we hope everyone notices now what a few months of truce have brought and what such prospects do promise for the future. A clear choice of compromise and peace over war defines the future of the country.
- Parties must build upon the progress achieved and fully implement the Truce, in its spirit and its letter, and lead the country towards a nation-wide ceasefire and permanent peace. Guns must be completely silenced; talks should replace them and lead to sustainable peace. The People of Yemen have the UN and the Security Council unity in supporting them on this path and encouraging them to seize this critical momentum.
- Albania commends the Government in Yemen for the opening of the Sana airport and for continuing to easing travelling to Jordan and Egypt for many Jemenis. We have called on the Houthis to do the same thing and re-open the roads to Taiz. We regret that this has not happened. An agreement on road openings, as part of Truce and as rightly highlighted by the Special Envoy, remains critical.
- Building confidence remains crucial for the future of a political settlement and if the Huthi believe in peace they must do more, concretely and genuinely. Resolving the outstanding issues will not be easy but nothing can be done successfully without genuine engagement to pave the way towards meaningful Yemeni-Yemeni talks. We reiterate our call for an inclusive process where the voice of women and youth must be fully heard.
- We welcome the third military coordination committee meeting and the parties’ commitment to build more trust and reinforce the truce hopefully beyond the Eid celebrations. We welcome in particular their engagement in freezing their current military positions on the ground, on moderating their rhetoric in public statements and media, and the focus on protecting civilian children, women and men, as well as civilian infrastructure. But, as we heard, we must be and remain vigilant.
- We commend Saudi Arabia and Oman for their consistent engagement towards Yemen and the endorsement of the Truce, as well as the commitments for massive economic and financial support from Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. This must be accompanied with sound, credible and inclusive reforms and policies.
Mme. President,
- Yet, despite progress, the dire humanitarian situation has not improved. We have expressed in the past the worry that Yemen was becoming the forgotten conflict. The Truce may and should help overturn this. As we heard from Ms Msuya, the shortage of funds and the sharp impact of the war in Ukraine stand in the way. Let’s not forget, if we don’t feed the hungry, we feed a conflict. NGO and humanitarian workers need to be able to exercise their mission freely and securely in providing help to all those in need. Any attack towards them, is an attack on all those Yemenis exposed to famine conditions and food shortages.
- Albania condemns the continued incarceration of the local staff currently or formerly working for the US Embassy and the UN. We call on the Houthis to release all detained immediately and we further call for the release of UN, NGO staff and other civilians who have been abducted by armed groups or forcibly disappeared.
Mr. President, let me conclude by reiterating Albania’s full support for a successful mandate renewal of UNMHA later this week, as well and as for the work on UNVIM in facilitating the unimpeded free-flow of commercial items through verification and inspection, of commercial vessels sailing to Yemen ports.
Change is on the way for Yemenis. Everything must be done to make it lasting and, Special Envoy, you have our full support for your efforts.
Thank you!
