Mr. President,
I would like to thank our two speakers for the overview they have just presented, however grim it may be.
Switzerland strongly condemns the recent arbitrary detention of humanitarian and UN personnel by the Houthis. We call for the immediate and unconditional release of all those detained. We are concerned by the significant and rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Yemen and recall that it is essential for humanitarian actors to have unhindered access to the civilian population. As Resolution 2730 recalls, these personnel are protected by international humanitarian law. These arrests considerably aggravate an already particularly tense situation in Yemen.
In view of the worrying assessment presented by the two senior UN representatives, Switzerland would like to highlight the following points.
At the political level, the parties must refrain from any action that could jeopardise the conditions for implementing the roadmap. The regional repercussions of the situation in the Middle East have slowed down the momentum of the talks to which the Special Envoy is committed in order to reach an agreement. In this context, we reaffirm our full support for Hans Grundberg and his team. We also recall the importance of the exercise of navigation rights and freedoms in the Red Sea. As we have already stated on several occasions, all attacks must cease and the crew members of the Galaxy Leader must be released.
As far as the humanitarian situation is concerned, the various indicators bear witness to the seriousness of the situation. Efforts to contain the cholera epidemic are hampered by this conflict, access problems and a lack of resources. Landmines laid by the Houthis and other armed groups continue to kill and seriously injure civilians in areas where active hostilities have ceased.
Finally, as we have seen since the truce of 2022, the conflict in Yemen has moved into the economic sphere. This crisis has worsened acutely in recent weeks. If no international money transfers are possible via the banks in Sana'a in the near future, humanitarian aid will be even more limited and the civilian population will be directly affected.
The various measures taken by the parties to the conflict are stifling the private economy and hampering the import of essential goods. This is a further destabilisation which is being borne entirely by the civilian population and which only serves to reinforce existing tensions. The oil sector has been seriously disrupted, as has the banking sector and, more recently, the telecommunications sector. The longer the conflict persists, the deeper these divisions become entrenched, making the prospect of future reunification a monumental task.
Mr President,
The Security Council and the countries of the region must continue their efforts to contribute to an environment conducive to peace talks and to respond to the growing humanitarian needs.
Thank you.