LONDON: The International Development Secretary for the UK Penny Mordaunt has condemned the firing of ballistic missiles from Yemen toward Saudi Arabia and also called for continued commercial and aid access throughout Yemen.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Mordaunt, who visited Saudi Arabia and Djibouti in December to call for access and meet aid workers, said: “I heard about some of the heartbreaking tragedies suffered by Yemenis when I met with refugees and international aid workers last month.
“I am pleased restrictions on access have since been eased at the ports of Hodeidah and Saleef, allowing 19 ships to deliver food and critical fuel. This is already saving lives by ensuring hospitals can continue delivering essential medical care, water can be pumped into major cities, grain can continue to be milled into flour and food transported to those most in need.
“But the situation in Yemen remains dire and will deteriorate rapidly unless unhindered access is maintained, especially to the north of the country.
“With Yemen importing 90% of its food and fuel, it’s essential that Hodeidah and Saleef ports remain fully open to help millions of people who are at risk.
“We recognize Saudi Arabia’s legitimate security concerns and will continue to provide support to prevent illegal arms smuggling into Yemen – this does not require stopping humanitarian and commercial supplies from reaching those in need.
“The UK Government strongly condemns the continued firing of ballistic missiles from Yemen toward Saudi Arabia. We continue to support Saudi Arabia to strengthen efforts to prevent the flow of illegal weapons by providing extra UK support to the UN’s Verification and Inspection Mechanism.
“We are also engaging with Saudi Arabia’s plans to develop an operational humanitarian plan for Yemen.”
Since access reopened, 19 ships have been permitted to enter Hodeidah and Saleef ports, unloading 260,000 metric tons of food and over 95,000 metric tons of fuel. The UK is the second-largest humanitarian donor to the UN’s Yemen Appeal behind Saudi Arabia and third-largest donor overall.
UK condemns firing of ballistic missiles from Yemen into Saudi Arabia
UK condemns firing of ballistic missiles from Yemen into Saudi Arabia
Brazil’s Lula accuses Trump of seeking to forge ‘new UN’
- Lula defended multilateralism against what he called “the law of the jungle” in global affairs
- Key US allies including France and Britain have also expressed doubts
BRASILIA: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva accused Donald Trump on Friday of trying to create “a new UN” with his proposed “Board of Peace.”
The veteran leftist joins other world leaders who have avoided signing up for Trump’s new global conflict resolution organization, where a permanent seat costs $1 billion and the chairman is Trump himself.
“Instead of fixing” the United Nations, “what’s happening? President Trump is proposing to create a new UN where only he is the owner,” Lula said.
Trump unveiled his “Board of Peace” at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos Thursday, joined on stage by leaders and officials from 19 countries to sign its founding charter.
Lula defended multilateralism against what he called “the law of the jungle” in global affairs.
His remarks come a day after he spoke by phone with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who urged his counterpart to safeguard the “central role” of the United Nations in international affairs.
In his remarks on Friday, Lula said “the UN charter is being torn.”
Although originally intended to oversee Gaza’s rebuilding, the board’s charter does not seem to limit its role to the Palestinian territory and appears to want to rival the United Nations.
Key US allies including France and Britain have also expressed doubts.
London balked at the inclusion of Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose forces are fighting in Ukraine after invading in 2022.
France said the charter as it currently stood was “incompatible” with its international commitments, especially its UN membership.
