Thank you, Mr. President,

I would also like to thank Special Envoy Hans Grundberg and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Joyce Msuya, not only for their briefings but also for their great commitment.

“This is our sanctuary - I now feel a sense of relief”, said 60-year-old Aziza in 2023, after repairing her house in Aden with UNHCR support. In 2024, unfortunately, such testimonies are likely to become rare.

We have heard it, on the political front, the situation in Yemen and the region becomes more and more volatile, and the utmost restraint is called for. We all expressed our views yesterday at the emergency meeting.

Today, on behalf of Switzerland, I would like to reiterate the call made by the Council in its resolution 2739: we urge all parties to the conflict to redouble their diplomatic efforts and to favor dialogue over violence. At the same time, the progress made in discussions under the auspices of the United Nations must be preserved. Otherwise, the risk of a return to violence is very high.

In this respect, we welcome we welcome the parties' commitment to reaching an agreement to allow banks to continue to operate, as well as the decision in principle to increase air traffic. And we also thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its engagement. This agreement must be an important step towards creating the climate of trust needed to give fresh impetus to the talks initiated by the Special Envoy.

On the humanitarian front, as we have also heard, the situation remains extremely worrying. Prolonged displacements, the economic crisis exacerbated by the parties' economic retaliation measures, the destruction of civilian infrastructure, and the collapse of basic services are leading to a multi-faceted humanitarian crisis, marked in particular by growing food insecurity and malnutrition. Half of Yemen's population - over 18 million people - are in need of emergency humanitarian aid. Recent figures show that 58% of Yemeni households do not have enough to eat, a hitherto unprecedented level, and the proportion of stunting among children is among the highest in the world. Families are forced to choose between feeding and educating their children. Dropping out of school, early marriages and the recruitment of child soldiers are fueling tomorrow's crisis.

The work of humanitarian actors in Yemen is key to breaking this spiral. Yet they are under pressure on many fronts. On the one hand, as we have heard, the safety of humanitarian actors is not guaranteed. Switzerland strongly condemns the prolonged and arbitrary detention of humanitarian and UN personnel by the Houthis. We reiterate our call for the immediate and unconditional release of all those detained for the past two months. As recalled in resolution 2730, humanitarian personnel are protected by international humanitarian law. On the other, the work of humanitarian actors is also being hampered, particularly in the south of the country, by access restrictions and other bureaucratic measures. Switzerland urges all parties to guarantee rapid and unhindered humanitarian access to the civilian population in need.

Mr. President,

Aziza's relief must not be a mere reprieve. We must all commit ourselves to making it a lasting one. This Council must remain mobilized and support the Special Envoy in his efforts to obtain an agreement between the parties to the conflict. Switzerland will continue its commitment in this direction.

Thank you.

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