Statement by H.E. Ambassador ISHIKANE Kimihiro, Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations, at the Security Council Briefing On the Situation in Yemen

I would like to express my gratitude to the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, Mr. Hans Grundberg, and Under-Secretary-General Martin Griffiths, for their briefings today. Japan commends Mr. Grundberg’s dedicated and continuous efforts towards realizing peace in Yemen.

Stability in Yemen is critical not only for peace and stability in the entire Middle East, but also for the security of the adjacent sea lanes, which are directly linked to the security of global supply chains, including for energy. In this light, we are deeply concerned about the unstable security situation in Yemen, which was exacerbated by the Houthi attacks on the al-Dhabba oil terminal and Qena seaport last October and November.

We appreciate that the Government of Yemen and the countries in the region, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the Sultanate of Oman, have made concerted efforts to renew the truce among the parties to the conflict.

There is no military solution to this conflict. A political solution through dialogue is the only option. We strongly support the current efforts made by the Special Envoy, concerned parties and UN Mission to support the Hudaydah Agreement, and hope that such engagement will lead to a concrete peace process. Japan calls on the parties concerned, especially the Houthis, to take  necessary actions to renew the truce in Yemen, thereby paving the way for constructive talks towards realizing a durable peace.

The long-standing conflict in Yemen has led to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. In order to meet the urgent needs of people in dire situation, Japan, as a major donor country, has been providing humanitarian assistance to Yemen in cooperation with international organizations. We commend the UN and all humanitarian workers, including female workers, in Yemen for their tireless efforts under extremely difficult circumstances to deliver assistance. All parties concerned have to make sure humanitarian activities be conducted without obstructions.

This year, Japan will continue to support the people of Yemen by providing additional humanitarian assistance package. This includes the assistance for the UN plan for the FSO Safer, as we believe it is imperative to prevent the unleashing of a humanitarian and ecological catastrophe in the region.

Yet, providing humanitarian assistance alone is not sufficient to deliver peace and stability in Yemen. It is also important to create an environment in which the Yemeni people, including women, can engage in economic activities. And to this end, we believe that our assistance to strengthen the functions of the Port of Aden should play an important role in the reconstruction of the economy. We also believe that our capacity-building program for officials of the Government of Yemen can contribute to Yemen’s economic recovery, which is essential for long term peace.  

In closing, let me assure that Japan remains committed to continue making efforts, in cooperation with the United Nations and countries concerned, to realize peace and stability in Yemen.