The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, welcomed, on Tuesday 9 February, the announcement by the United States of the revocation of the designation of Ansar Allah, the Yemeni Houthi movement, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation.
The former US administration had announced this designation on 11 January (see EUROPE 12634/19).
“This designation could have catastrophic consequences in the context of Yemen, as the country is highly dependent on commercial food imports. It has to be very clear that to nominate (an organisation) as a terrorist organisation can create a blockage of trade, because nobody will dare to face US sanctions”, explained the High Representative during a debate on Yemen in the European Parliament.
Mr Borrell also said that the US announcements of ending support for Saudi-led offensive operations and the appointment of a special envoy for Yemen showed a real US interest in dealing with the crisis.
More generally, the High Representative said that the situation - whether political or humanitarian - deserved more attention.
“We, as the European Union, have a role to play. It is a modest one because the only solution is to stop the flow of arms to both parties and to put strong political pressure on the countries that are supporting this war, feeding it with arms and resources”, he summarised. Mr Borrell said he intends to strengthen the EU’s political engagement, financial resources and pressure on the actors in the conflict, notably Saudi Arabia and Iran.
“Current prospects for a rapid breakthrough in Yemen are certainly and unhappily slim. The latest attacks by Ansar Allah show how challenging the situation remains, but, at the same time, we feel a growing sense of urgency in the international community to find a way out”, the High Representative said, expressing his readiness to push for concerted action to unlock the stalled process and nudge the parties to implement a permanent ceasefire and begin political talks. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)