UAE urges international community to heed UN warning of Houthi advance on Ma’rib

The United Arab Emirates today expressed its concerns over UN reports of a Houthi advance on the Yemeni city of Ma’rib.

In a statement on Tuesday, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation called attention to remarks by UN Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock concerning the Houthi rebels’ military assault on Ma’rib and underscored the threat such an assault poses to regional security and stability.

Sultan Mohammed Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for International Development Affairs, expressed concerns that the Houthi rebels’ advance on Ma’rib and atrocious acts of violence against civilians would threaten the welfare of the Yemeni people, obstruct the delivery of humanitarian shipments, and further exacerbate humanitarian suffering and displacement throughout the country.

Moreover, Al Shamsi reiterated that de-escalation and dialogue are the only viable solutions to end continued violence in Yemen. In this regard, Al Shamsi affirmed the UAE's full support for the efforts of the UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths and urged the international community to contribute to all efforts to pursue a peaceful solution to the conflict.