Brussels, 25/02/2016 (Agence Europe) - MEPs are seriously concerned by the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Yemen. On Thursday 25 February, they called for a ceasefire to allow humanitarian access to the Yemeni people and appealed to the EU to introduce an arms embargo on Saudi Arabia, the country at the head of the coalition that since March 2015 has been shelling the population. MEPs also called for the different belligerent parties to reach a political solution, the only possible way of putting an end to this civil war in which civilians have been paying such a very high price.
The resolution on the humanitarian situation in the Yemen was adopted in Strasbourg(449 votes in favour, 36 against, with 78 abstentions) and emphasises the need to halt attacks on civilians, medical and humanitarian personnel, fighting on the ground and the shelling, which is essential if emergency assistance is to be channelled, such as food, and medicines, to the civilian population.
The failure of successive governments to respond to the Yemeni population's aspirations for democracy, stability and security, has led to the current crisis in which 21 million Yemenis (82% of the total population) require humanitarian assistance and 2 million children are prevented from attending school, explained MEPs.
MEPs urged all sides to refrain from directly targeting civilian infrastructure, medical facilities and water systems.
While acknowledging that Saudi Arabia and Iran are instrumental in resolving the crisis in Yemen, the EP also expresses grave concern “at the airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition and the naval blockade it has imposed on Yemen, which have led to thousands of deaths, [and] have further destabilised Yemen”.
MEPs called on EU diplomacy chief Federica Mogherini to launch an initiative aimed at imposing an EU arms embargo against Saudi Arabia. Richard Howitt (S&D) MEP, the spokesperson for foreign affairs at the S&D group, which is behind the initiative for this demand, describes this demand for an embargo as a humanitarian appeal to put an end to this bloodbath.
MEPs stressed that only an inclusive and negotiated political solution would be capable of restoring peace and preserving unity in the Yemen. They also urged all the different parties in the civil war in the country and their foreign allies to make a commitment to supporting a new round of peace negotiations headed by the UN as soon as possible. The coalition led by Saudi Arabia includes five Gulf Arab states, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Sudan and is supported by the US and United Kingdom. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)