FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Statement on a Humanitarian Pause for Yemen
Samantha Power
U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations
New York, NY
July 10, 2015
AS DELIVERED
The United States joins UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in supporting an unconditional humanitarian pause by all parties to the conflict in Yemen from Friday, July 10, at 11:59pm (GMT +3) through the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
The humanitarian situation facing the Yemeni people is critical, with 20 million people—80 percent of the population—in need of water and 13 million people—50 percent of the population—in dire need of food aid. A humanitarian pause is urgently needed so that the United Nations and other international aid organizations can deliver life-saving food and medicine to citizens throughout Yemen. A humanitarian pause should also help accelerate the flow of fuel and commercial goods on which Yemen depends.
We further emphasize that there is no military solution to the conflict in Yemen. As the UN Secretary-General has noted, the parties should continue engaging with the UN to take confidence-building measures toward a durable cease-fire accompanied by a disengagement of forces and the release of political prisoners. To that end, the United States appreciates and fully supports UN Special Envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed’s ongoing efforts to bring Yemeni stakeholders to the table to find a path forward to resume Yemen’s political transition, in accordance with the Gulf Cooperation Council Initiative, the outcomes of the National Dialogue, and relevant Security Council resolutions.
