Thank you, Madam President.
I would like to thank the three speakers and welcome the presence of the Resident Coordinator for Yemen, David Gressly as well as the presence of the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and of the representative of Yemen.
Switzerland welcomes the unanimous renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Support of the Hodeïda Agreement (UNMHA), which demonstrates the Council's full support for this mission.
Madam President,
I would like to place particular emphasis today on climate and environmental issues, because Yemen is disproportionately affected by climate change.
Firstly, we remain concerned about the amplifying effect of climate change and environmental degradation in Yemen. This exacerbates the risks and tensions surrounding access to water in particular, at a time when the country is already weakened by natural disasters and food insecurity. Given these challenges, it is all the more urgent to intensify our efforts to promote peace in Yemen. Switzerland also welcomes the progress made in the rescue plan for the oil tanker Safer and commends the commitment of the Resident Coordinator and the UN system to avoid an environmental disaster in the Red Sea.
Secondly, we reiterate the importance of an inclusive process to reach a peace agreement that serves the interests of all Yemenis. In this respect, we note the commitment of the regional players and stress the need for a concerted approach in line with the needs and aspirations of the population. We also welcome the talks held last month in Amman on a potential exchange of prisoners. We encourage the parties to the conflict to continue these exchanges, which represent important confidence-building measures, and reiterate Switzerland's readiness to host future discussions on this subject.
Thirdly, we call on the parties to the conflict to allow and facilitate the safe, rapid and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid, in accordance with international humanitarian law. Freedom of movement for humanitarian workers and the granting of visas and work permits are essential to ensure that all vulnerable people can benefit from humanitarian aid. In this context, we note with concern the situation of refugees and migrants arriving from the Horn of Africa, who are at increased risk of exploitation, arbitrary detention and forced return. We are equally concerned about the increase in hate speech against these vulnerable groups by some political leaders. With regard to children, and echoing our discussions during last week's open debate, we call on all parties to fully and swiftly implement their respective action plans and other concrete commitments to end and prevent grave violations against them.
Finally, Switzerland deplores the impact of the conflict on the civilian population. This is exacerbated by the lack of respect for the rules governing the conduct of hostilities by the parties to the conflict, such as the arbitrary arrest and detention of members of the Baha'i community in Sana'a. In this respect, Switzerland reminds the parties to the conflict of their obligations under international law.
Thank you.