The Contact Group of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in charge of the situation in Yemen convened a meeting at the UN headquarters in New York in which it welcomed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s call for a dialogue between the concerned Yemeni parties to discuss the recent events witnessed in Aden, Abyen and Shabwa, in August 2019. The meeting also welcomed the positive response of the Yemeni parties to the said call and their convening in Jeddah early this month, in their shared keen interest in a prompt action to resolve their disputes and resume the peace process to reach a comprehensive settlement.
The OIC Secretary General, Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, noted that the OIC General Secretariat is following closely the regional, international and Yemeni efforts regarding the Yemeni crisis and ways to stimulate the peace process which the Houthi militia have regrettably obstructed through their escalated military actions both inside Yemen and on its borders.
The Secretary General emphasized that the OIC strongly condemns all the provocative actions carried out by the said militia, particularly at the military level, on the Saudi-Yemeni borders with the targeting of cities, civilians and infrastructure inside the Saudi territories as well as commercial vessels opposite Bab El Mandab straights and the Red Sea, thus posing a threat to international maritime navigation.
With regard to the humanitarian situation in Yemen, Al-Othaimeen paid tribute for the varied humanitarian aids extended by the OIC’s Member States and their various humanitarian organs, foremost of which King Salman Centre for Relief and Humanitarian Action. He also expressed appreciation for the pledges announced by the Member States during the annual special meeting held in Geneva, last March on the 2019 Yemen Development Plan.