Madam President,
I would like to thank Special Envoy Hans Grundberg and OCHA Director of Operations and Advocacy Edem Wosornu for their presentations. I would also like to thank Ms Amat Al-Salam Al-Hajj for her intervention.
In the light of developments over the last few weeks, I would like to highlight the following three points:
Firstly, I would like to reiterate Switzerland's strong support for the UN's efforts to bring peace and protect civilians in Yemen. We thank the Special Envoy for his sustained and inclusive efforts towards a lasting intra-Yemeni political settlement under the auspices of the United Nations. We also welcome the engagement of Saudi Arabia and Oman for peace in Yemen. We hope that the current talks can produce tangible results for the benefit of the entire population. In this context, the decision to relocate Yemeni government officials to Aden in the near future is likely to reinforce the population's confidence in the authorities.
Secondly, Switzerland strongly condemns the murder on 21 July of Moayad Hameidi, Head of the World Food Programme office in Taez, and offers its condolences to his family and colleagues. Humanitarian workers and their activities are protected by international humanitarian law. We therefore call on all parties to the conflict to guarantee the safety of humanitarian workers. We also reiterate our call on the parties to the conflict to allow and facilitate the rapid, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid. This includes not only facilitating access for female humanitarian workers to the vulnerable population, but also ensuring that international organisations are free to choose their local partners independently.
Thirdly, we welcome the end of the first phase of the rescue plan for the oil tanker Safer on 11 August. The unity shown by all the members of this Council on this issue is encouraging and remains crucial. It was our duty to prevent an environmental and humanitarian disaster that would have exacerbated the suffering of the Yemeni people, at a time when the country is already affected by a major crisis linked to the armed conflict. This success demonstrates that important results can be achieved through joint efforts. Switzerland salutes the role played by Yemeni civil society organisations, in particular women, who were among the first to warn of the dangers posed by the wreck of the Safer. Their voice, and that of civil society in general, is essential if we are to effectively tackle all the challenges facing Yemen.
Madam President,
Switzerland remains at the disposal of the UN and all parties in support of the implementation of other important confidence-building measures, such as the further release of prisoners.
Thank you.