Barran Press
The United Kingdom reaffirmed its commitment to economic, humanitarian, and diplomatic cooperation with the internationally recognized Yemeni government on Thursday, July 11, 2024.
British Ambassador to Yemen, Abda Sharif, stated this during a meeting with Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council President Rashad al-Alimi, as confirmed in a tweet by the ambassador.
Sharif described the meeting as "excellent" and emphasized the UK's continued commitment to Yemen. She highlighted the UK's pride in its economic, humanitarian, and diplomatic collaboration with the Yemeni government.
Earlier, the official Yemeni news agency Saba reported that al-Alimi received Ambassador Sharif and discussed government economic reforms and the ongoing catastrophic impact of Houthi terrorist attacks on oil facilities.
The meeting also addressed Houthi attacks on commercial ships, and international shipping routes, and their egregious violations against international aid workers and human rights activists, according to the agency.
Al-Alimi praised the UK's ongoing support for the Yemeni Coast Guard and joint efforts to combat terrorism, arms smuggling, drug trafficking, and organized crime. He also commended the UK's support for sanctions against the Houthis to deter them from violating humanitarian law and relevant international resolutions.
This meeting comes amidst regional and international efforts to push Yemeni parties towards signing a roadmap for ending the nine-year war. The UK is a key player in this intensified push, which has sparked concerns among Yemenis that the roadmap might not meet their aspirations for lasting and comprehensive peace.
In December 2023, the United Nations announced that Yemeni parties had reached understandings to implement a set of measures, including a nationwide ceasefire, measures to improve living conditions in Yemen, and engagement in preparations for resuming a comprehensive political process under UN auspices.
The roadmap and peace efforts in Yemen have stalled due to attacks by the Houthi group, designated as a terrorist organization by several countries, against commercial ships in the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, and the Gulf of Aden since November 2023.