Question 5440 — foreign policy

Summary

Mr. Jean François Mbaye alerts the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs to the dramatic situation of the war in Yemen. France expressed its concern about the clashes between separatist forces and the Yemeni army which caused several deaths on January 28, 2018 in Aden. The fighters seized almost all government positions in the port city of Aden. The Prime Minister would be inside the presidential palace, surrounded by separatists. In three years, the war left more than 9,200 dead and nearly 53,000 injured. Despite the easing of the blockade established by the Saudi-led military coalition since November 2017, the head of UN humanitarian operations recalled that without aid the country could experience the “greatest famine in recent decades”. Indeed, according to the UN, seventeen million people need food aid and seven million people are at risk of starvation. The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs recalled that “the protection of populations and civilian infrastructure and full, unconditional and unhindered access to humanitarian aid are obligations under international humanitarian law”. The head of French diplomacy subsequently announced “the need to concentrate on firstly on the humanitarian aspect by insisting that the coalition take measures in this regard in order to improve the situation on the ground. Regarding the question of resolving the conflict, Emmanuel Macron recalled “that there was no military solution to the conflict in Yemen and that “it was essential that the two parties return to the negotiating table”. It then appears necessary that the Yemeni parties resume, unconditionally, the peace negotiations carried out under the aegis of the United Nations. “France is available for a role on this issue” affirmed the Minister on January 22, 2018. Thus, he asked how France intends to act, within the framework of its bilateral and multilateral negotiations, to help people affected by this conflict. He would also like to know what political role France intends play in the resumption of peace negotiations between the Yemeni parties.

Machine translation from French. The official text remains authoritative.

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