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UK rejects Houthi’s ‘national salvation’ government

October 5, 2016 at 12:47 pm

UK’s Minister for the Middle East and Africa Tobias Ellwood has expressed his “concern” after the announcement that Houthi and Saleh forces have instated a government of “national salvation”.

“I am very concerned by the continued steps being taken by the Houthi and Saleh alliance,” Ellwood commented on the issue, which was referred to by his ministry as a “rival government to the legitimate government in Yemen.”

“The intention to unilaterally form a ‘Salvation Government’ is in direct defiance of the UN-facilitated peace process and undermines commitments made to finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict,” he added.

20%

Of people who are in need of humanitarian aid around the world live in Yemen

Ellwood advised all the parties in Yemen not to override the efforts being exerted by the UN special envoy to the country. “The Yemeni parties must consult and work with the UN Special Envoy Ismail Ould Sheikh Ahmed in order to come to an agreement and return stability to the country,” he said.

The UK ministry said that it is providing £1.05 million over two financial years to the UN special envoy’s office to bolster UN capacity to facilitate the peace process and is also supporting work to broaden the dialogue to include women and other under-represented groups.

Yemen is now one of the most serious humanitarian crises in the world. Twenty per cent of people who are in need of humanitarian aid around the world live in Yemen.

Seven million people are facing severe food shortages. Around 2.8 million people have been affected by displacement since March 2015 and basic services have been severely affected.

On 21 September, the UK’s International Development Secretary Priti Patel announced an additional package of £37 million to support Yemen, which will bring the UK’s total humanitarian funding for the crisis to £100 million this year. The UK is the fourth largest donor to the Yemen crisis.