Statement by H.E. Ambassador Koro Bessho
Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations
At the Security Council Briefing
On the Situation in Yemen
31 October 2016

 

 

Mr. President,

 

I would like to express my gratitude to Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, Mr. Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, Under-Secretary-General Mr. Stephen O’Brien, and Mr. Muhannad Hadi of the World Food Programme, for their comprehensive briefings today. The situation on the ground is dire.

 

Mr. President,

 

I will focus first on the humanitarian situation in Yemen. Mr. O’Brien and Mr. Hadi vividly described for us, civilians are the tragic victims of the failure to end the fighting and reach a political agreement. Japan commends the UN and all humanitarian workers in Yemen for their tireless efforts under extremely difficult circumstances.

 

We heard from USG O’Brien today that 80% of Yemenis are in need of basic humanitarian aid, which underlines the seriousness of this crisis. We heard that the number may increase further. Japan, together with other international partners, is providing support to help meet basic needs. We have announced our renewed commitment to financially supporting the UN and other international bodies to scale up operations in Yemen. Food security, health and education are priority areas.

 

Collapsing public services and the deteriorating economy have only further worsened the devastating humanitarian situation. We were told by OCHA and WFP about serious humanitarian problems caused by the destruction of social infrastructure. We are concerned by recent developments surrounding the Central Bank and its relocation from Sana’a to Aden. Japan calls upon the Government of Yemen to avoid taking measures which will affect the activities of commercial banks, and stresses the importance of the Central Bank serving the interests of all Yemenis.

 

Mr. President,

 

A halt to military activities is essential if we are to achieve fundamental solutions to the humanitarian and economic crises in Yemen. One and a half years have already passed since the intensified fighting began. The Yemeni people are deeply suffering and exhausted from the continuous airstrikes, shelling and fighting on the ground. All military activities including attacks beyond the Yemeni territories must be halted immediately.

 

Mr. Ismail’s briefed us today that he presented the Yemeni Government and the Houthi-GPC delegation with a Yemen Roadmap to address security and political arrangements. This may lead the way to the practical implementation of the three fundamental components for peace and stability in Yemen, namely the GCC initiative, the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference, and Security Council Resolution 2216. Japan welcomes the Special Envoy’s work on the Roadmap.

 

It is unclear, however, whether this document is being seriously considered by the Yemeni parties. Mr. Ismail told us that President Mansour Hadi has rejected the Roadmap. In the statement issued yesterday, the Houthi-GPC complained that the Roadmap does not contain essential elements for the solution. Although uncertainties remain, it is time for the parties to take their seats at the negotiating table and to immediately resume face-to-face consultations. The parties should undertake good-faith negotiations under the mediation of the UN to reach an agreement.

 

Mr. President,

 

Now that Mr. Ismail has presented the Roadmap, there may be a chance to advance the political process. What then should be the Council’s next step? I believe the answer is to send a strong, unified message to the parties. First, we, the Security Council, must call on the parties to resume negotiations immediately, to respect the cessation of hostilities, and to allow and facilitate unimpeded and sustained humanitarian access. The G18 and UN member states have influence on the parties, but the Council too must play a proactive role. Equally importantly, we must ensure that the negotiations bear fruit. While adopting a resolution is our basic and traditional measure for ensuring implementation, one potential route is for the President of the Security Council to present our unified message at the beginning of the negotiations when they commence.

 

We are now at a critical juncture for Yemen’s future, and I would like to request the Special Envoy Mr. Ismail to redouble his efforts. We strongly encourage convening a new round of negotiations. In addition, the Special Envoy’s direct communication with key stakeholders, including President Hadi, Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi and Ali Abdullah Saleh, is crucial to push the political process forward. I would appreciate hearing about the results of meetings with these figures at our next briefing. Japan will continue to support Mr. Ismail's efforts.

 

I thank you, Mr. President.