Yemen has renewed its appeal to the international community for military, economic, and political support to ensure the security of navigation in the South Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and to counteract Houthi threats.
This plea was articulated by Yemeni Foreign Minister, Shaia Al-Zindani, during a roundtable discussion on “The Political and Military Dimensions of the Houthis in Yemen as a Regional Security Threat,” held on the sidelines of the United Nations’ annual meetings in New York.
Minister Al-Zindani emphasized the need to reconsider how the international community deals with the terrorist threats posed by the Houthis to international waterways.
He stressed the importance of empowering and supporting the Yemeni government to build and enhance the capacities of its institutions, ensuring the sustained security of international passages and making Yemen an active partner in regional security.
Highlighting the detrimental impacts of attacks in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Al-Zindani pointed out the severe consequences of the political resolution efforts in Yemen, the devastating environmental effects, and the grave economic repercussions on Yemen and regional countries.
Al-Zindani also warned against complacency or delay in addressing the Yemeni issue amidst economic and political challenges, as well as the continued influx of weapons and funds to the Houthis.
He reiterated the importance of implementing UN resolutions related to Yemen, particularly Resolution 2216, as a suitable approach to resolving the crisis.
The discussion also featured notable international figures including the European Union’s Special Representative for the Gulf region Luigi Di Maio, the UN Special Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg, and the German State Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Lindner, among other international officials.
On the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Minister Al-Zindani met with Vladimir Voronkov, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism.
As reported by Yemen’s official media, the meeting discussed bilateral cooperation and opportunities to support Yemen’s counter-terrorism efforts and benefit from UN expertise in capacity building and needs assessment.
Al-Zindani stressed the importance of enhancing regional and international cooperation to combat terrorist threats in the region, highlighting the need for support in reviewing and implementing the national strategy, capacity building, and strengthening the legal and institutional framework of the counter-terrorism apparatus.
