Statement on the situation in Yemen
13 February 2025 – Statement by the Republic of Slovenia at the meeting on the situation in the Middle East, Yemen
Statement by the Republic of Slovenia at the briefing on the situation in the Middle East, Yemen
Thank you President.
Special Envoy Grundberg and Assistant Secretary Msuya, thank you very much for your briefing. I welcome the Yemeni delegation to this meeting.
Mr. President,
Sadly, we see that for the Yemeni people the year starts with another spiral of violence and another serious escalation, which Slovenia condemned at the emergency session of the Council on December the 30th, and which we condemn once again today.
Reckless Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and against Israel have continued, and severe Israeli retaliations including as recently as last week have led to significant damage to Yemen’s critical civilian infrastructure. Reports that Hodeidah port is functioning at only about 30 % capacity are extremely concerning. The ports are a crucial lifeline for Yemen both from a humanitarian and economic perspective.
The situation is unsustainable and unacceptable. The people of Yemen should not be used as a pawn in a geopolitical game. They simply cannot endure another assault following ten long years of war. Neither do the people of Palestine benefit from this tit-for-tat.
We therefore renew our call on all parties to cease attacks and to adhere to international law, including international humanitarian law. We stress in particular that attacks on civilian population, infrastructure and objects are prohibited.
We look forward to the adoption of a resolution which renews the Secretary-General’s reporting mandate on Red Sea attacks, and thank the US and Greece for their efforts as penholders. We once again express our serious concern about the potential environmental impact of such attacks, made evident by the recent situation with the MV Sounion tanker. We regret that this aspect could not be reflected in the current resolution and hope to see it incorporated in future texts. Slovenia also recalls the desperate need for a ceasefire in Gaza, which we believe would bring much-needed calm to the entire region.
Mr. President,
It is clear that a policy of diplomacy rather than firepower must be pursued. We therefore welcome the Special Envoy’s intensified engagement with national and regional actors in recent weeks, and note his recent visit to Sana’a as well as discussions with a diverse range of Yemeni stakeholders.
We urge regional actors with influence to press for tangible actions from all sides towards de-escalation and confidence-building. We call on all parties to seize the moment and show a genuine commitment to peace and governance by engaging on the UN roadmap and progressing an inclusive, intra-Yemeni political process. The gain made in 2023 should not be lost or reversed.
Mr. President,
We face a time of soaring humanitarian needs in Yemen and across the region, as well as unprecedented pressures for the humanitarian community. In a world where too often we cannot make the necessary political and diplomatic breakthroughs, humanitarians time and time again are picking up the pieces.
The detention of humanitarian workers by the Houthis last year is not only in contravention of international law, but it is an affront to those lifesaving efforts.
We conclude our statement today with a clear and simple call for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained UN staff and humanitarian and civil society personnel in Yemen, and for the respect and protection of humanitarians the world over.
I thank you.
13 February 2025 – Statement by the Republic of Slovenia at the meeting on the situation in the Middle East, Yemen
12 February 2025 – Statement by Representative of Slovenia to the UN Security Council Ambassador Samuel Žbogar at the meeting on the situation in the Middle East, Syria
11 February 2025 – Statement by Ambassador Samuel Žbogar, Chargé d’ affaires, at the 63rd Session of the Commission for Social Development, Agenda item 3(a) and (b), general discussion