EU calls on Yemen’s Houthis to abandon their ‘extremist positions’

The European Union yesterday called on Yemen’s Houthi group to abandon what it called their “extremist positions” and to engage constructively with United Nations efforts to resolve the Yemen crisis.

The EU said it “reaffirms its principled commitment to the unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Yemen, and its full support to the UN peace efforts and United Nations Special Envoy Hans Grundberg in his mediation efforts.”

“The EU urges the Houthis to abandon maximalist positions and engage constructively with the UNSE Grundberg,” the statement continued, adding: “The Council also stresses the utmost importance of reinstating and further extending the truce.”

The EU “commends the constructive approach of the Yemeni government during the truce and ongoing efforts by regional actors, notably by Saudi Arabia and also Oman, on the extension of the truce,” the statement said.

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A six-month truce ended on 2 October and the government and the Houthis continue to exchange accusations about whose responsibility it is that it was not renewed.

Describing the humanitarian situation in Yemen as “catastrophic”, the EU noted that “over 70% of the population require humanitarian assistance and over half of the population is facing acute food insecurity.”

The Houthi group has not commented on the EU’s statement.