Statement by H.E. Ambassador SHINO Mitsuko, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations, at the Security Council Briefing on the Situation in Yemen

Let me thank Special Envoy Grundberg and Assistant Secretary-General Msuya for their briefings. We are grateful for the efforts that they and their teams continue to make for the Yemeni people. I also thank the Chair of the 2140 Committee for her report to the Council.

Japan welcomes the ongoing engagement by the parties to the conflict and the regional countries towards establishing a long-lasting peace. The unanimous adoption of resolution 2675 indicates the strong will of this Council that the ongoing sanctions should be continuously implemented. Realizing a durable peace will require not only a mere extension of the truce, but also Yemeni ownership of long-term national reconstruction. Japan fully supports the Special Envoy’s role to promote this process toward sustainable peace.

Japan hopes that the agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran will be a positive step towards resolving the Yemeni issue.

However, we are deeply concerned about the unchanged pattern of arms supplies to the Houthis, as reported by the Panel of Experts in its final report. We urge the Member States to implement the arms embargo and support efforts for peace in Yemen.

Japan is also concerned about various disruptive actions taken by the Houthis inside Yemen to undermine the Government of Yemen’s economic capability. We urge the parties concerned to prevent any behaviors that lead to economic instability. The peace process should be underpinned by a stable economy. In this regard, we commend the strong support of Saudi Arabia and the UAE for the economy of Yemen.

The peace process and national reconstruction should go hand in hand with economic development. In March, the project to strengthen the functions of the Port of Aden will be launched with development assistance from Japan. This project shows our strong commitment to the reconstruction of Yemen’s economy, as Foreign Minister Hayashi stated at the pledging conference in February. Regarding the FSO Safer, we are encouraged by the agreement made to purchase the oil tanker in order to finally proceed with the emergency phase project. Japan commends the efforts of UNDP to implement this high-risk and unprecedented operation. 
The importance of continuing to support people in need and deliver life-saving livelihood programmes cannot be overstated. Japan respects and appreciates the efforts of aid workers operating in a challenging environment, and urges the parties concerned to improve access and secure the safety of aid workers in accordance with international humanitarian law.

In conclusion, we continue to stand ready to support the peace and recovery process, and urge all the parties, and in particular Yemenis, to seize the momentum to reconstruct the country, prioritizing the lives of the Yemeni people.