MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in Yemen
6.7.2015 - (2015/2760(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 123(2) of the Rules of Procedure
Cristian Dan Preda, Arnaud Danjean, Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, Elmar Brok, Michèle Alliot-Marie, David McAllister, Claude Rolin, Michael Gahler, Mariya Gabriel, Davor Ivo Stier, Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso, Ramona Nicole Mănescu on behalf of the PPE Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B8-0680/2015
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on Yemen,
– having regard to the Statement by the Vice-President of the European Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR), Federica Mogherini, on the situation in Yemen of 26 March 2015,
– having regard to the Joint statement by VP/HR Federica Mogherini and Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides on the impact of fighting in Yemen of 1 April 2015,
– having regard to the Joint statement by VP/HR Federica Mogherini and Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides on the proposed truce in Yemen of 11 May 2015,
– having regard to the Joint statement by VP/HR Federica Mogherini and Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides on the crisis in Yemen of 3 July 2015,
– having regard to the Council conclusions on Yemen of 20 April 2015,
– having regard to the United Nations (UN) Security Council resolutions 2014 (2011), 2051 (2012), 2140 (2014), 2201 (2015) and 2216 (2015),
– having regard to the Co-Chairs’ statement of the 24th Gulf Cooperation Council -European Union (GCC-EU) Joint Council and Ministerial Meeting of 24 May 2015,
– having regard to the UN Security Council Press Statement on the situation in Yemen of 25 June 2015,
– having regard to Rule 123(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas the current conflict in Yemen has spread to 20 out of 22 governorates; whereas, according to the latest consolidated figures from the World Health Organisation (WHO), at least 1 439 people were killed between 19 March and 5 May, and another 5 951 injured, many of them civilians; whereas it is estimated that the total number of internally displaced people has reached more than 300 000;
B. whereas the recent developments carry grave risks for the stability of the region, in particular that of the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea and the wider Middle East;
C. whereas on 26 March 2015 a Saudi Arabia-led coalition including Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates launched a military operation in Yemen against Houthi rebels, at the request of Yemen’s President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi;
D. whereas more than 1 200 prisoners, including a number of Al-Qaeda militants, escaped recently from a prison in Taiz because guards deserted their posts after getting caught up in crossfire between Houthi rebels and local opponents;
E. whereas on 1 July 2015 rocket fire from the rebels hit a residential district of Aden, killing 31 people and wounding more than 100; whereas at least 22 people were killed on 2 July 2015 as fighting raged in the port of Aden and rebels were bombed in Sana’a;
F. whereas the humanitarian impact on the civilian population, and on children in particular, of the ongoing fighting between different militias, the bombardments and the disruption of essential services is reaching alarming proportions and exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation;
G. whereas 15.9 million people in Yemen are in need of humanitarian assistance; whereas most vulnerable children will not have access to the healthcare or nutritional services they need due to the current widespread insecurity;
H. whereas more than 250 000 refugees, mostly from Somalia, are stranded in the country and are living in precarious conditions either in the Kharaz camp or in poor urban areas; whereas Yemen hosts about one million Ethiopian migrants, according to Government estimates;
I. whereas humanitarian organisations have relocated most international staff outside of the country due to the deteriorating security situation; whereas few organisations are still able to operate in Yemen and their activities are severely constrained;
J. whereas the escalation of armed conflict threatens Yemen’s cultural heritage; whereas on 2 July 2015 the World Heritage Committee placed two sites in Yemen on the List of World Heritage in Danger: the Old City of Sana’a and the Old Walled City of Shibam;
K. whereas the EU has imposed an arms embargo and further targeted sanctions against a Houthi leader and the son of ex-President Ali Abdullah Saleh; whereas two other members of the Houthi movement as well as former President Saleh have been under the same restrictions since December 2014;
L. whereas the European Commission has allocated EUR 25 million in humanitarian aid funding in 2015 to assist populations across the country affected by acute malnutrition, conflict and forced displacement;
M. whereas the UN’s revised humanitarian appeal requested USD 1.6 billion, but only around 10 per cent is currently funded;
1. Is seriously concerned at the rapidly deteriorating political, security and humanitarian situation in Yemen; expresses its condolences to the families of the victims; stresses that the EU has reaffirmed its commitment to continue to support Yemen and the Yemeni people;
2. Condemns the destabilising unilateral actions taken by the Houthis and military units loyal to ex-President Saleh, and urges these forces to end the use of violence immediately and unconditionally and to withdraw from areas they have seized; underlines its support for Yemen’s legitimate authorities;
3. Urges all Yemeni parties, in particular the Houthis, to work towards resolving their differences through dialogue and consultation; calls on all regional actors to engage constructively with Yemeni parties in order to enable a de-escalation of the crisis and avoid further regional instability; calls on all parties to refrain from targeting cultural heritage sites and buildings by shelling or by air strikes, or from using these for military purposes;
4. Welcomes the fact that the EU has reiterated its firm commitment and determination to tackle the threat of extremist and terrorist groups, such as Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), and to prevent them from taking further advantage of the current situation;
5. Condemns all violence and attempts or threats to use violence to intimidate those participating in UN-brokered consultations; emphasises that the UN-brokered inclusive political dialogue must be a Yemeni-led process, with the intention of brokering a consensus-based political solution to Yemen’s crisis in accordance with the GCC Initiative and its Implementation Mechanism, the outcome of the comprehensive National Dialogue Conference, the Peace and National Partnership Agreement and relevant UN Security Council resolutions;
6. Welcomes the efforts made by the UN, in particular the Secretary-General and the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, to convene the consultations for Yemen in Geneva; expresses its support for the efforts of the Special Envoy;
7. Calls on Yemeni parties to attend future talks and engage in these without preconditions and in good faith, including by resolving their differences through dialogue and consultations, rejecting acts of violence to achieve political goals, and refraining from provocation and all unilateral actions to undermine the political transition; believes that only a broad political consensus through inclusive negotiations can provide a sustainable solution, restore peace, and preserve the unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Yemen;
8. Calls for a humanitarian pause in order to allow life-saving assistance to reach the Yemeni people urgently; urges all parties to facilitate the urgent delivery of humanitarian assistance to all parts of Yemen, as well as rapid, safe and unhindered access for humanitarian actors to reach people in need of humanitarian assistance, including medical assistance;
9. Calls on all sides to comply with international humanitarian law and international human rights law, to ensure the protection of civilians and refrain from the direct targeting of civilian infrastructure, notably medical facilities and water systems, and from using civilian buildings for military purposes, and to work urgently with the UN and humanitarian aid organisations to deliver assistance to those in need; calls for the independent investigation of all alleged violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law;
10. Stresses the need for coordinated humanitarian action under UN leadership, and urges all countries to contribute to addressing humanitarian needs; calls on the international community to contribute to the UN’s revised humanitarian appeal;
11. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the European Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Secretary General of the GCC, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, and the Government of Yemen.